Stratos 4: the Shivan Veteran
by Ace of Aces 1990
Summary: Alpha 1 was caught in the supernova of the Capella star and presumed dead after defending the last transports to the best of his ability. moments after, he found himself floating out in earth space. was he teleported? or did something more happen?
1. Chapter 1

Stratos 4: The Shivan Veteran

**This is my second crossover so I hope this will be better at my first crossover attempt. This crossover will involve the story line of Stratos 4 near the start of the series and the events of Freespace 2 after the "supposed" pilot's death from the supernova. For some weird reason, stratos 4 isn't in the lists of so I had to put in as a normal. this is Flight 1 **_**Into The Unknown**_** enjoy.

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Flight 1: Into The Unknown

"ALPHA 1! GET OUT OF THERE! CAPELLA HAS GONE SUPERNOVA! GET TO THE NODE AND ENGAGE YOUR JUMP DRIVE NOW!" GTVA Command yelled over the com line.

_"I can't leave them now!" _Alpha 1 thought as he continued the dogfight with the enemy Shivan bombers. He pulled a corkscrew manuver behind the next seraphim bomber and unloaded a volley of hornet missiles. They hit and destroyed the bomber. Alpha 1 looked back behind him and saw the shockwave from the Capella star closing in even further.

"ALPHA ONE TO ALL TRANSPORTS! HIT YOUR AFTERBURNERS! GET OUT OF HERE! I'LL HOLD OFF THE SHIVANS!" Alpha 1 yelled into the com.

"Our engines have suffered damage, afterburners are offline!" One of the transports responded back.

"GET TO FIXING THEM! IN THE MEANTIME, GET TO THE NODE AS FAST AS YOU CAN!" Alpha 1 yelled back. He turned his attention to the oncoming Nephilim and Seraphim bombers.

"ALPHA 1 TO ALL FIGHTERS! JUMP OUT NOW!" Alpha 1 yelled.

"SIR! YOU CAN'T HOPE TO PROTECT ALL OF THEM BY YOURSELF!" Alpha 2 yelled back.

"THAT'S A DIRECT ORDER PILOT! GET OUT OF HERE AND BACK TO YOUR FAMILIES! ALL OF YOU! GO! ALPHA 2! YOU'RE IN COMMAND NOW! GET THE SQUAD BACK TO EARTH!" Alpha 1 yelled.

"…yes sir…ALL PILOTS WITHDRAW FROM BATTLE FIELD! ENGAGE JUMP DRIVES!" Alpha 2 yelled. The remaining fighters jumped out and Alpha 1 turned back to the bombers. He launched another volley of hornet missiles and took another bomber down.

"Alpha 1! Return to base! You can't do any more! To help us! We're done for!" The transports ordered.

"NEGATIVE TRANSPORTS! I'M NOT LEAVING YOU TO DIE! WE CAN STILL GET TO THE NODE!" Alpha 1 yelled back. He looked back towards the star. The shockwave was even closer. Alpha 1 was the closest to the node when he noticed another wing of bombers jump in. He turned his Zeus bomber to the next wing of bombers.

As soon as he lined up for a shot, he noticed the furthest transport explode.

"LAMBDA 1! ALL TRANSPORTS ENGAGE JUMP-" Alpha 1 was cut off by the sight the next two transports exploding.

"ALPHA 1! THERE'S NOTHING MORE YOU CAN DO! GET OUT OF THERE!" Command ordered.

"NOT ENOUGH TIME! NOT ENOUGH- AH CRAP!" Alpha 1 yelled as his Zeus got caught in the shockwave. Fire covered the entire canopy of the bomber as Alpha 1 tried to keep it steady.

"I know that there's no real point but…I'm not going down without a struggle!" Alpha 1 said. The shockwave grew even more powerful until it was white everywhere in his cockpit. Everything got quiet inside the cockpit. Alpha 1 tried to keep steady but eventually lost control. The bomber was engulfed in brilliant light; the many instruments began reacting erratically.

_"What's happening? Am I dead? I can't hear anything…if I'm dead…why do I still feel the controls?" _Alpha 1 wondered. Eventually the light dimmed down and he saw the deep blackness of space.

"There's no way I'm dead." Alpha one said. He looked around and saw a planet nearby, a planet with a mixture of blue, green and hints of white all around it.

"Earth! I never thought I'd see it for myself." Alpha 1 said. "Time to go home." Alpha 1 said. He looked around the cockpit and noticed all of the instruments were in working order. He brought up the hull integrity and saw that it was the same as before the supernova hit.

"Weird, I thought that the shockwave would have dropped my H.I. (Hull Integrity) to less than 10%." Alpha 1 said. he realigned his Bomber in the direction of Earth and fired his thrusters.

"GTVA command this is Alpha 1 of the 70th Blue Lions. Requesting approach vector for landing." Alpha 1 said into the com.

"Alpha 1, this is CB Station: Orbital Station 7, please state your business this far in space." CB station ordered.

_"CB Station? I've never heard of it before. Maybe a new instillation?" _Alpha 1 thought.

"Alpha 1 to Orbital Station 7, I'm not sure how I got out here, I was in the Capella sector defending a group of transports when the Shivan Juggernaught fleet caused the Capella star to go supernova. The transports were destroyed by the supernova and I somehow ended up here." Alpha 1 responded.

"Alpha 1, please report to down to earth immediately. You need to talk to your superiors about your story." Orbital Station 7 ordered. Alpha 1 noticed frustration in the voice on the radio.

"With all due respect, this is not a story, it actually happened command! …Wait where's the fleets? I was told that earth had a massive armada around earth after the great war-"

"THAT'S ENOUGH! REPORT DOWN TO EARHT IMMEDIATELY!" A second voice yelled.

_"What is going on? Its like the GTVA doesn't exist out here." _Alpha 1 thought.

"Ma'am I don't see what the problem is. I was following orders and procedure-"

"PILOT! GET MOVING BEFORE THAT COMET RUNS YOU OVER!" The voice from Orbital Station 7 command yelled. Alpha 1 looked back and saw a massive comet behind him and heading in his direction. His eyes shot wide open as he slammed on the afterburners.

"OH SH-" He yelled. Alpha 1 calculated the time and speed of his bomber and the comet as well as the distance between the two.

_"THERE'S NO TIME TO GET OUT OF THE WAY! I HAVE TO STAY AHEAD OF IT!" _Alpha 1 thought.

"ALPHA 1! ENTER THE ATMOSPHERE! THAT SHOULD SLOW DOWN THE COMET! DON'T WORRY! COMET BLASTERS EN ROUT!" Orbital Station 7 command said. Alpha 1 looked back and saw the comet gaining speed on him.

"I CANT OUTRUN THE COMET! MY BOMBER ISN'T FAST ENOUGH!" Alpha 1 yelled.

"Just hang in there, Alpha 1! Comet Blasters are almost there! Just hang in there!" Orbital Station 7 command ordered. Alpha 1 diverted the power from the weapon systems and boosted the engine power. Slowly, Alpha 1 began gaining distance on the comet.

"Alpha 1! Comet blasters will be launching missiles to destroy the comet in five minutes!" Orbital Station 7 command informed.

_"DAMMIT! I'M NOT GOING TO BE OUT OF THE WAY IN TIME!" _Alpha 1 thought.

Down on the planet, Mikaze looked up at the stars and saw the two Comet Blasters from the higher part of Shimoji Island. She wore a red Chinese dress and had her hair in two ponytails.

"Is that a Comet Blaster?" Shizuha asked. She was in another Chinese dress and held her hair in a bun. Ayamo and Karin stood by their delivery scooters and watched as well. both wore Chinese dresses and wore their short hair down.

"ALPHA 1 TO INCOMING COMET BLASTERS! I WON'T BE ABLE TO MAKE IT OUT OF THE BLAST!" Alpha 1 yelled.

"CB 1 to Alpha 1, if you can gain any more distance between yourself and the comet, you have a 30 second window to do so!" CB 1 said.

"ROGER THAT!" Alpha 1 responded as he re-engaged the afterburners. He managed to gain about 20 feet in about 25 seconds.

"5, 4, 3, 2, 1, FIRE!" Orbital Station 7 command yelled. The Comet Blasters fired their trident missiles and they split in three sections, heading straight for the comet behind Alpha 1. The missiles exploded and the plasma blast pierced through the comet and created a much larger explosion.

"OOOOHHHHHHHHH NOOOOOO!" Alpha 1 yelled as he saw the explosion grow behind him. Debris fell behind him as he begun entering the atmosphere.

"ORBITAL STATION 7! DEBRIS! THERES A WHOLE LOT OF DEBRIS!" Alpha 1 yelled.

"No need to worry, there's nothing big enough to cause any damage on planet." Orbital station 7 Command said.

"YEAH THAT'S GREAT AN ALL! BUT WHAT ABOUT ME! IF I TAKE A SINGLE HIT I'M DEAD!" Alpha 1 yelled.

"Do what you can to dodge the debris! It's all you now! Orbital Station 7 out!" Orbital Station 7 Command said. He continued to advance into the atmosphere.

"Altimeter has kicked in! Better take it the rest of the way!" Alpha 1 said. He looked around the canopy and saw the fire from the re-entry surrounding the entire bomber. He looked on the computer and began looking for the nearest base to land at.

"WHOA!" Alpha 1 yelled as he dodged another piece of debris.

"Shimoji Island? That's the closest base to land at once we're on the ground!" Alpha 1 said.

"ALPHA 1 TO SHIMOJI ISLAND BASE! REQUESTING PERMISSION TO LAND!" Alpha 1 yelled.

"Alpha 1, you are clear to land on runway 17!" Shimoji Island responded.

"I'M COMING IN HOT! COMMENCING EMERGENCY LANDING!" Alpha 1 yelled.

"Roger that, preparing runway 17 for emergency landing!" Shimoji Island responded. Alpha 1 tried to hold the Zeus bomber steady while dodging the other debris as they burned up in the atmosphere.

On planet, Mikaze and the others saw a fireball in the sky.

"What's that!" Mikaze asked.

"I don't know!" Ayamo replied.

"Is it a comet?" Shizuha asked.

"They didn't launch." Karin said calmly as she pointed to the still grounded intercept planes. The three other girls looked back at the base.

"If not a meteor…then what?" Mikaze asked. The fireball soon took a more distinct form. An unknown ship. They all stood up and looked up to it in surprise.

"LOOK AT THAT!" Mikaze yelled, pointing to the ship.

Alpha 1 had cleared the Atmosphere and begun approach to runway 17. The bomber steadily descended towards the runway, speed dangerously increasing.

"ALPHA 1! YOU'RE COMING IN TOO FAST!" Shimoji Island yelled.

"CAN'T…DECREASE…SPEED!" Alpha 1 struggled to say.

"Alpha 1! Pull up! You'll crash and burn if you maintain your current heading!" Shimoji Island responded. Alpha 1 continued to descend. He pulled up until he was horizontal to the ground and about a hundred feet above the ground.

Alpha 1 lowered his nose just a bit more and began descending towards the runway.

"ALPHA 1! NO GEAR!" Shimoji island yelled.

"OH CRAP! ACTIVATING MAG SYSTEMS!" Alpha 1 yelled back.

"ALPHA 1! YOUR SPEED IS TOO HIGH! SLOW DOWN!" Shimoji Island yelled. The bomber edged towards the runway until it was only a few feet above the pavement. Alpha 1 managed to slow down the craft a bit.

Alpha 1 touched down but the ship flipped forward and landed upside down and facing the opposite direction he was moving.

"OH NO! IT CRASHED!" Shizuha yelled. The girls got back on their delivery scooters and rode back to the base.

"Grrrrr that wasn't such a good landing." Alpha 1 said as he tried to open the canopy. He looked around to see that his craft was upside down. His sight was fading slightly.

"Oh, damn! That's not good." Alpha 1 said as he fell out of consciousness.

"Hey! Hey wake up!" Mikaze pushed. Alpha 1 wearily opened his eyes and looked around to see Mikaze and the other girls sitting around him.

"That was some landing you went through." Another woman said as she walked in the room. She wore a green dress uniform and held a clipboard. She stopped in front of the hospital bed.

"We've been looking for you in our records and haven't been able to find anything. The way we see it, there's two options as to why that is: 1 you are in high military and 'don't exist' or 2, you are operating illegally." The woman said.

"I can tell you who I am. I have nothing to hide." Alpha 1 said as he sat up, holding his side. Mikaze and the other girls along with the woman looked at him intently.

"My name is Roy Lancer…and I fly for the GTVA. Fighter and bomber pilot of the 70th blue lions." Roy said as he saluted.

They all looked at him confused.

"What is the GTVA? Is that a new branch of military?" The woman asked. Roy's eyes shot open.

"YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE GALACTIC TERRAN VASUDEN ALLIANCE! IT WAS ESTABLISHED THIRTY YEARS AGO DURING THE GREAT WAR!" Roy yelled.

"No such alliance exists that we know of. I really hope you're not trying to pull some kind of prank! Its not funny!" The woman said.

"I'M NOT MAKING THIS UP! I HAVE THE LOGS ON MY SHIP! I HAVE THE UNIFORM! THE EMBLEM IS ON THE UNIFORM AND ON MY SHIP!" Roy yelled. The woman looked at him, annoyed, and turned for the door.

"We'll take a look at those logs. If anything in there is different from what you say…there'll be hell to pay!." The woman said as she walked out the door. Roy tried to get up and reached for the door.

"WAIT- AH!" Roy yelled as he grunted in pain. He grabbed onto his side and noticed a warm feeling on his side. He looked down and noticed blood on his hand.

"ARE YOU OK!" Shizuha asked as she reached for Roy. He sat there holding his side and looked up to Shizuha.

"I must have broken something in the crash." Roy said.

"No kidding! You're barely able to sit straight." Ayamo said.

"Here, let me see what I can do." Shizuha said as she reached for Roy's hand.

"You can help this?" Roy asked.

"Of course! Tee hee, I'm licensed with medical training." Shizuha said as she pulled out her wallet, revialing a stream of licenses poring out. Roy was surprised at the amount of licenses she had.

"She has a license for everything there is to have a license for." Ayamo sighed. Roy looked confused and lifted his arm for Shizuha. She placed her hand on Roy's side and he winced a bit.

"No wonder you're in pain! You have a couple of broken ribs." Shizuha said. Mikaze, Ayamo, and Karin all looked at him with concern.

"Damn! Did I really take that much of an impact?" Roy asked.

"Apparently you did. Otherwise you wouldn't be in the hospital would you?" Ayamo asked.

"I'm just not used to planetary gravity." Roy replied.

"What do you mean? Were you in space for a while!" Mikaze asked excitedly as she moved in closer to him. Roy backed up slightly. He saw Mikaze's eyes lit up, waiting for what he had to say.

"Space is all I know, lifestyle in space that is. I have never been on a planet before. I was born on a ship, schooled at one of the many Arcadia instillations. And I've been a fighter pilot since I was ten." Roy said. The girls looked at him in disbelief.

"You say you've lived your whole life in space but that's not possible. The only things that can hold people in space are the orbital stations. There's nothing else up there that can support people up there." Ayamo challenged.

"How have you not heard of the arcadia instillations in the vega, capella, and serris systems? There's those and plenty more out there. Not to mention the Orion and Aquitane class destroyers, fenris class frigates, and the dreadnaught colossus. All of those types of ships can support people for years without re-supply." Roy explained.

If such ships exist, as well as technology to get that far out into space, how come no one has heard of it?" Ayamo challenged. Roy looked confused at Ayamo.

_"What the hell is going on! No one knows about the technology of the GTVA! The jump drives, the ships, the subspace nodes, no one knows of any of it here!" _Roy thought.

The woman from before walked back into the room and looked at Roy with an intense look on her face.

_"Oh crap! She found the top level classified files on my logs! Oh man! If she sees that I'll be in trouble with the SPEC OPS!" _Roy thought. She walked up to him and stopped at the bed.

"Well…you told the truth. The logs show everything you said…and more." She said.

_"SHE KNOWS! OH NO! I'M REALLY GOING TO GET IT NOW!" _Roy thought.

"You have explaining to do! For example: why you never flown IN ATMOSPHERE AND WE HAVENT HEARD OF IT! YOUR LACK OF RECORDS! AND THE KIND OF TECHNOLOGY ON YOUR SHIP! NOW! OR YOU'RE ON YOUR WAY TO OUR PRISON!" She yelled.

_"Huh? She didn't mention any of my spec op missions."_ Roy thought.

"Well, I've lived my whole life in space. The logs can vouch for that. The technology of my bomber is actually older tech, thirty years old to be exact. The Zeus bomber was originally a prototype bomber developed by galactic terran intelligence just after the great war. It's actually the bomber that replaced the 'moth-balled' Athena bomber." Roy explained.

Mikaze, Shizuha, Ayamo, Karin and their superior all looked to Roy with intent.

"As for my apparent lack of records, I can't say. I have no idea why they wouldn't be on every military computer." Roy said.

"There! I've told you everything I can! What else do you want from me!" Roy demanded. She looked at him for a moment and then back at her clipboard.

"You're grounded from flight and your bomber will be under lockdown until you tell me what your lack of records is about." She said as she headed for the door.

"HEY WAIT A MINUTE!" Roy yelled.

"You might have been a top pilot for the military! But here, you're under OUR command! You will follow our orders, and accept what ever penalties we give you!" She said as she left the room.

"DAMMIT! WHAT THE HELL IS THIS!" Roy yelled.

"It's not like you're locked up. You should be happy about that." Mikaze said with a smile.

"Yeah…I guess. But if I don't know what happened, then I don't know." Roy said.

"Come on, you should know better than us that its not going to be that easy." Ayamo said.

"That's right, you should just deal with what you have to for now, and figure out a way to earn sub-commander Kisaragi's trust. You'll figure it out." Shizuha said.

"And hey, if you can teach me how to fly that ship of yours, I might even help you out." Mikaze said as she hung her arm around Roy's neck.

"Maybe…we can be good friends?" Karin asked.

"That's a great idea Karin!" Shizuha said. Roy thought for a moment and looked at each of the girls around him.

"Ok, friends? And yeah, I'll teach you to fly, in fact the bomber has two seats." Roy said.

"YAY!" Mikaze screamed as she glomped him

"OUCH! Careful with me here!" Roy said as he winced in pain.

"Oops! Sorry! I guess my excitement got the better of me tee hee!" Mikaze giggled.

"_This might turn out interesting."_ Roy thought. he looked to the side and saw what looked like a meteor shower.

"Hey look out there." Roy pointed. The girls gathered on the bed to see.

"Whoa…comet fragments…" Shizuha said.

"Beautiful…" Ayamo commented.

"Yeah…" Roy agreed. He and the girls stared at the fragments until they disappeared.

"_I wonder how things will turn out?" _Roy thought.

In the control tower, Commander Reynolds and Sub-Commander Kisaragi stood looking at the same comet fragments.

"Miss Kisaragi, I'm not sure that grounding him is the appropriate approach. If you want information from him, we need to gain his trust first." Commander Reynolds said.

"But sir, he spewed a lot of information. Apparently he thinks we're part of a military called the GTVA. Any idea what that is?" Sub-Commander Kisaragi asked.

"Hmmm. Never heard of it. I would like to talk to him tomorrow. For now, I'm sure he's tired." Commander Reynolds said.

End of chapter 1

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**Well there you have it. Chapter 1 of Stratos 4: the Shivan Veteran. Roy will be paired up with one of the girls, don't know who just yet. And if you have any other questions just ask in the review. Be sure to wait for Flight 2: ****Realization****!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Here's chapter 2 of Stratos 4: the Shivan Veteran. Previously, Roy Lancer survived a supernova, crashed on Earth, no one seems to know of the GTVA, and there apparently are many comets on collision course for earth. Now Lancer has to earn the trust of the base commander and find out what is going on.

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Flight 2: Realization.

Roy could hear the alarms going off in the cockpit of his Zeus bomber. He felt the pressure of the descent of the craft into the planets' atmosphere.

"ALPHA 1 TO ANYONE! MAYDAY! MAYDAY! MAYDAY! I'M GOING DOWN! I'VE LOST CONTROL! REQUEST IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE!" Roy yelled into the radio. The com line was silent.

"I SAY AGAIN! THIS IS ALPHA 1 I'VE LOST CONTROL OF MY BOMBER! AT THIS RATE I'LL CRASH INTO THE GROUND!" Roy yelled. Again there was no response. The bomber accelerated towards the earth near Shimoji Island at high speed.

"ROY! GET UP!" A female voice called out.

"PULLING UP!" Roy said as he pulled up on the control stick. The craft wouldn't pull up and was still plummeting towards earth.

"ROY! I SAID GET UP!" She called out. He pulled up on the control stick even harder but nothing happened. The Zeus bomber still continued heading straight for earth. Roy's eyes shot open as he saw the control tower. He could see the people operating in the tower. He could see their faces.

"ROY! GET UP NOW!" The female voice called out again. The Zeus was heading straight for the control tower. A portal opened to the rear of the Zeus and a Shivan Mara class fighter. The Shivan fighter shot the engines of the Zeus and it lost all breaks and accelerated even further towards the control tower.

"NO! NO! AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" The Zeus crashed through the tower and exploded. Just after the crash he caught a glimpse of a strange ship that seemed to be staring at him.

"GAAAAHH!" Roy screamed as he shot forward in his bed. He was breathing heavily.

"What's with you? Anyway you need to report to the control tower and talk to base commander Reynolds." Sub-Commander Kisaragi said in an annoyed tone. Roy took a minute to look around.

"It was only a dream! Oh god! That was intense!" Roy said.

"You do understand your order right?" Kisaragi asked. Roy looked at her and nodded. He went to stand up but his left knee gave out.

"GAH!" **THUMP! **Roy fell to his knees and clutched his left knee.

"You took more of a beating than we thought. Get yourself together and follow me." Kisaragi ordered. Roy struggled to stand. He finally got on his feet and limped in Kisaragi's direction. She led him outside and onto the runway. The light hit him and he raised his arm to block the sunlight.

"HEY LOOK! HE'S UP AND MOVING NOW!" A trainee off to the side yelled. Roy looked to see who just mentioned him. He saw the girls from the other day along with a few others running over to him.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" Mikaze asked.

"It's a bit hard to walk for some reason. Wait…so this is what planetary gravity feels like." He said as he looked around for Sub-Commander Kisaragi.

"You girls, get back to training! Lancer! Follow me!" Kisaragi ordered.

"YES MA'AM!" the girls responded. Roy continued to follow Kisaragi. He noticed some of the girls running laps on the runway, looking in his direction. They were smiling at him. He continued to limp behind Kisaragi.

"Sir, he's here." Kisaragi said as she led Roy into the command room of the control tower.

"You wanted to see me sir?" Roy asked. Base commander Reynolds looked to him with a smile.

"Have a seat. What's your name?" Commander Reynolds asked.

"Commander Roy Lancer Sir! Leader Of the 70th Blue Lions fighter squadron!" Roy said as he saluted. Reynolds chuckled slightly.

"You can dispense with the formalities. Please, take a seat." Reynolds said as he took a sip of his coffee. Roy sat down on the couch. He noticed Kisaragi studying him carefully and another woman at the computer, also looking at him curiously.

"So, Miss Kisaragi has told me that you claim to be a part of something called the GTVA. What is that exactly?" Commander Reynolds asked.

_"Even he doesn't know what it is? This is just great! What the hell is going on!" _Roy thought.

"I don't understand." Roy said. The others looked at him with a bit of confusion.

"No one here knows of the GTVA. No one here knows of the subspace nodes, the Vasudens, the Shivans! ARE YOU PEOPLE OPERATING UNDER A ROCK! HOW CAN YOU NOT KNOW ABOUT THE LUCIFER CLASS DESTROYER THAT NEARLY ENTERED EARTH SPACE MORE THAN THIRTY YEARS AGO! HOW DO YOU NOT KNOW ABOUT THE SHIVANS RETURNING FROM BEYOND THE NEBULA! THIS MAKES NO SENSE! EARTH WAS ALERTED TO THE LUCIFER AND THE SHIVAN JUGGERNAUT FLEET!" Roy yelled. Kisaragi shot a glare at Roy; the other woman at the computers looked surprised and commander Reynolds lost his smile and sighed.

"How do you not know of the things that nearly happened here? The earth was nearly destroyed by the Lucifer super destroyer about thirty years ago. And the Shivan Juggernaut almost made it through the jump node from Capella to earth system territory! They caused the Capella star to go supernova! I was caught in that supernova and somehow ended up in earth space! You can see the burn marks on my bomber that YOU HAVE UNDER LOCKDOWN!" Roy explained. The commander looked at Roy a bit more serious.

"If those events would have happened, we would have known of it. The latest space traveling craft are the comet blasters. And they only go around the planet. No one has been outside of earth space yet. The technology does not yet exist." Commander Reynolds said. The other officers looked at Roy and then back to the commander.

"Then how do you explain what's happened on my logs?" Roy challenged.

"We don't know if those logs are fake or not." Kisaragi said.

"They're not fake! Every second of it is real!" Roy replied.

"What proof do you have that it is!" Kisaragi challenged.

"LOOK AT MY BOMBER! YOU WANT PROOF! THERE IT IS!" Roy yelled.

"That's enough for now. Miss Kisaragi, take him to the classroom. The last thing he needs right now is an interrogation." Reynolds said.

"HEY! WAIT A MINUTE! AT WHAT POINT DID I BECOME A STUDENT!" Roy demanded.

"This is out of your control! Follow me!" Kisaragi ordered.

"One moment before you go." Reynolds said. Roy looked to the commander as he sat next to Roy.

"Listen, I'm not trying to make you an enemy. I just want to know what's going on. If you can co-operate, things will go much more smoothly." Commander Reynolds said. Roy stood up and nodded to him and went with Sub-commander Kisaragi.

"He's an honest boy. There wasn't a single lie in his words." Reynolds said to the traffic controller.

Kisaragi opened the door to the classroom and gestured Roy into the room.

"Everyone, we have a new trainee joining us." Kisaragi said. Roy turned to her with an angry look.

"I'M NOT A TRAINEE! I'M A WELL EXPERIENCED FIGHTER AND BOMBER PILOT!" Roy yelled.

"But you don't have experience in destroying comets as they fall in through the atmosphere. Do you?" Kisaragi challenged.

"No ma'am." Roy said quietly.

"Right, now sit down and pay attention." Kisaragi ordered. Roy limped to the empty seat next to Mikaze and sat down. She smiled at him and looked back to Sub-commander Kisaragi. A video played that talked about the first meteor fall to the planet and how the Cosmic Emergency Management Agency was formed.

"According to declaration made by the united nation secretary general, about fifty years ago, our organization's predecessor, the SS system was started. In the beginning developing a craft that would blast off directly into outer space to pursue the flying meteorites was started but because of the prohibitive cost and safety issues, the project was halted…" Kisaragi lectured.

_"Wait! Wait! Wait! It was formed 50 years ago! That's not possible! I learned about the comet blasters and meteor sweepers in my schooling aboard the arcadia instillations now that i think about it. They were in history books. THAT'S WHAT THE CB STATION ABOVE WAS! THE COMET BLASTER STATION!." _Roy thought. Sub-commander Kisaragi continued to lecture and noticed Mikaze and Roy not paying attention. Both were looking outside, Mikaze with a bored look and Roy with a more focused look.

"Mikaze…" Shizuha said trying to get her attention. Mikaze stared out the window even more.

"Mikaze…" Shizuha tried again. Roy came back to paying attention and nudged Mikaze. She didn't move.

"Hey! Mikaze!" Shizuha tried again. Kisaragi stepped in front of Mikaze and Roy holding one of her pink penalty cards.

"If the outdoors concerns you two so much, you can look at a leisurely pace!" She said with a smile, eying Roy. Mikaze laughed sheepishly while Roy sighed.

"Too late…" Shizuha sighed.

After the class, Mikaze and Roy both received the pink card and were running a lap around the runway. Roy somehow managed to keep up with Mikaze, despite his bad knee, broken ribs, and difficulty dealing with the gravity of earth. Mikaze was breathing heavily but Roy was panting and sweating to the point that he looked like he could fall over at any moment.

"Hey…Roy…huff…you should…slow down…huff…and ease up. You look…huff…like you're about…to pass out." Mikaze said.

"Huff…I can…huff…keep up! I can…huff…do it!" Roy wheezed. Shizuha, Ayamo, and Karin watched them run their lap.

"It's not a surprise for Mikaze, but I wonder why Roy wasn't paying attention?" Shizuha asked.

"I'm not sure. He just seemed focused on something else. He's already in enough trouble with Commander Kisaragi, he's going to be in deep if he doesn't change soon." Ayamo said.

"Yeah, let's do our best to help both of them." Shizuha said with a smile.

"Tell me, why is it exactly that we're helping that guy? He mouthed off to Kisaragi already, and I'm sure he'll mouth off to us. Not to mention how he acted when Kisaragi called him a trainee. He seems to be kind of full of himself." Ayamo said with an annoyed skeptical look.

"He seems like a nice guy, and there's nothing wrong with a little pride." Shizuha said. Roy started slowing down due to exhaustion. Mikaze made it to the others first and stopped at the yellow lane and stared at the ground, panting. Roy followed behind and dropped to a knee beside her and panted heavily.

"Dammit! I need…huff…to get used…huff…to planetary gravity! HAAAAHH!" Roy panted. Mikaze continued to stare at the ground.

Back at the restaurant: Kouchin; Ayamo, Shizuha, and Karin were serving the packed restaurant.

"Shizuha! Could you come into the kitchen right away?" the old lady in back asked.

"Ok!" Shizuha responded.

"Ok! You can cook!" Ayamo asked. Shizuha pulled out her wallet and her many licenses unfolded and hung in front of Ayamo.

"See? Third one from the top. I took a correspondence coarse. After all, can't have enough licenses." Shizuha said with a smile. Ayamo laughed sheepishly.

"Hey! Can't we order?" Tsubasa Miyazaki asked.

"Can't you see that we're busy? Give us a break, huh?" Ayamo replied.

"Sure! If we keep quiet it will be dinner time!" Tsubasa complained.

"Mikaze is not here yet, and neither is the new guy." Ayamo said.

"Yeah she was staring out on the runway, like…totally spaced out. And that new guy looked like he was about to keel over." Tsubasa said.

"She'd better get her priorities straight." Sora Ikeda said. Ayamo looked to him with question.

"Sure she's a sub, but she still has the mission to protect the planet." Sora said.

"It's not like she doesn't care!" Ayamo replied.

"She sure has a funny way of showing it! Listen there are TONS of cadets that would love to take her place. If she doesn't shape up, she'll be replaced in no time. And I don't know about the new guy either, he looks like he's in a similar position." Sora said. Ayamo looked worried for a moment.

"Ayamo! Order's ready!" The cook called.

"Oh! I'm coming!" Ayamo said as she went to the customer.

"Hey wait! Our order! You talk too much!" Tsubasa said.

"What are you talking about!" Sora demanded.

"At this rate, we'll never get lunch before our next mission!" Tsubasa complained.

"Sigh, you certainly have _your_ priorities straight." Sora replied.

Mikaze and Roy stood by the ocean near a large eagle statue with a broken wing. Roy stood, leaning against the railing to keep his balance, looking out to the sea. Mikaze stood looking out at the sky in the same general direction as Roy. She turned around and looked at the eagle.

"You can't fly, can you?" Mikaze asked. Roy looked over to her.

"I know!" Mikaze said. She got down and pulled out one of her papers and started folding it. Roy looked at her curiously. She folded the paper sheet into a paper airplane and looked up to Roy and then the statue, smiling slightly.

"This one's for both of you." Mikaze said. She held the plane and faced the ocean. Roy looked at her even more curiously.

"Blast off!" She said as she threw it. Roy looked at the paper airplane as it flew and thought of his time dog fighting in space in comparison to the paper plane's calm and peaceful flight. The paper plane turned around due to a sudden breeze.

Mikaze looked a little surprised. The plane came back in her direction and she ducked. The plane hit the wall behind her and fell to the ground. She looked at it and saw the bent up nose of the plane and looked sad. Roy placed a hand on her shoulder and sat next to her looking out to sea.

"_I wonder why she seems so down? She looked happier yesterday." _Roy wondered.

Back at Kouchin; Mikaze, Shizuha, Ayamo, Karin, and Roy all went to talk to the restaurant owner.

"Excuse me, would it be ok if our new member were to stay here too? He doesn't have anywhere to go on this island." Shizuha asked. The old lady walked out and looked at Roy carefully.

"Hmm…he'll have to work as well. I'll find a job for him tomorrow." She said.

"Thanks. I'll work hard for you." Roy said. The lady smiled a bit and Shizuha took Roy by the hand.

"Seeing as we don't have many rooms, you'll just have to spend some time with us. I hope you don't mind." Shizuha said.

"It isn't very different from when I was aboard the GTD Aquitane. I had a few roommates that were girls. It was actually a common thing." Roy said.

"That's good, just be sure to give us our privacy when we ask ok?" Shizuha asked.

"Just tell me to leave the room when you need." Roy replied.

"Wait a minute! You're actually going to have him room with you? What if he's perverted?" Ayamo asked. Roy looked a bit confused at the question.

"I'm sure he's not like that. I mean look at him. He doesn't seem in the slightest like that." Shizuha said with a smile.

"If you say so. Mikaze, don't you have a problem sharing your room with a guy?" Ayamo asked.

"Mm mmmm…" Mikaze groaned as she went upstairs to the room.

"Sigh, what's with her lately?" Ayamo asked.

"_This is turning out to be really interesting. And what did she mean 'perverted'?" _Roy thought.

Later, Mikaze, Shizuha, Ayamo, and Karin all were in the bath talking about what happened that day.

"Better get our priorities straight huh?" Ayamo said.

"Well we have yet to go on a mission, what can you say?" Shizuha asked.

"Oh who cares?" Mikaze asked lazily.

"Hey! This whole thing started with you! You know that!" Ayamo nagged.

"Yeah, yeah, it's always my fault…" Mikaze said lazily.

"Hey don't say that. What's up with you anyway?" Shizuha asked.

"Nothings up with me." Mikaze replied.

"No! Something's definitely up! You can do anything if you set your mind to it!" Ayamo said.

"Hmph, easy for you to say." Mikaze replied.

"MIKAZE!" Shizuha and Ayamo snapped.

"Done!" Karin said. The others looked to see her. She was looking in the mirror and held her hair in a strange fashion, almost like cat ears. She looked back at them with question. Ayamo looked almost annoyed, Shizuha giggled sheepishly and admiral (the cat) had an annoyed skeptical look.

"A- anyway, try putting your heart into it! You've got what it takes, you just gotta focus!" Ayamo continued to nag. Mikaze slumped until her nose was under the bath water.

"Hey there! Mikaze! Are you listening!" Ayamo asked. Mikaze slumped till only the rag on her head was above the water.

"HEY! You can't just run away, you know!" Ayamo said.

Mikaze started thinking back to when she was younger. She remembered her mother and father telling her that she'd become a great pilot. She remembered that everyone in her family was an elite pilot. She also remembered her father telling her about the Comet Blasters: the Elite among the Elite.

After they got out of the bath, Mikaze went out to the balcony and stared at the sky. Roy was in the room with Shizuha but noticed Mikaze alone and went outside to see her.

"Why?" Mikaze asked. Roy waited a moment.

"Why am I even here?" Mikaze asked quietly.

"I would imagine you're here to protect the earth." Roy said. Mikaze looked back to him and then back at the sky.

"That's…not what I'm getting at." Mikaze said.

"Then…what are you getting at?" Roy asked.

"I just don't feel motivated for this, and yet, I still want to fly. I just don't know what I'm doing." Mikaze said.

"So…that's what's been bugging you." Roy said as he limped over to her. He sat on the floor next to her, grunting as he got down.

"You know, I think we're in a similar ship." Roy said.

"A…ship?" Mikaze looked confused.

"Yeah, you know, the expression 'we're in the same ship' means we're in the same situation or one close to it." Roy said

"You mean in the same 'boat'." Mikaze corrected.

"Oh…that's right, differences between here and out in deep space." Roy said.

"Anyway, you want to fly but haven't gotten to go up. And because of that, it's hard to get motivated, not much incentive." Roy began. Mikaze continued looking at the sky.

"I was like that too when I signed up for flight school and it took a while before I got to go up. I tell you what, when I went up for my first time…I swear it was like I was asleep for my whole life and had finally awakened." Roy continued. Mikaze looked over at him.

"But what makes me in a similar situation now is…I'm grounded and cant fly for a while. Although even if I weren't, it wouldn't matter, I'm not in the shape to do so anyhow." Roy chuckled. Mikaze ever so slightly cracked a smile and looked back to the sky.

"Buy you…you're like a bird in a cage, just waiting to be set free." Roy said. Mikazes' eyes opened slightly and she looked to Roy. He got up, grunting in the process, and went for the door.

"Well, good night Mikaze." Roy said as he limped in. he got himself ready for bed on the makeshift bed Shizuha prepared on the floor for him earlier. She looked at Roy as he struggled to get down.

"You really are a nice guy." She said. Roy looked at her with question.

"What made you say that all of a sudden?" Roy asked.

"That talk you had with Mikaze, I'm sure it will benefit her. Thanks." Shizuha said with a smile.

"She looked like something was troubling her. As long as something's bothering her, she won't be able to operate right and possibly get into more trouble. With the way things are looking here, you need all the pilots you can get, working at optimum capacity. I'm just trying to help her get motivated." Roy said. Shizuha smiled at him.

"Good night Roy." Shizuha said with a wink. Roy lay on his side and waved back to her and fell fast asleep.

The next morning, Ayamo and Mikaze ran laps around the runway. Roy, Shizuha, and Karin watched until they finally stopped, panting.

"1300 hours, as of now, Shimoji island base will enter alert mode level 2" Sub-commander Kisaragi said to the commander.

"Hmm…" Commander Reynolds looked onto the runway at Roy and the girls.

"Those newcomers, they're in todays' standby shift. Will they be all right?" Reynolds asked.

"Well they have been trained up to our standards sir." Kisaragi replied.

"Hmm, hopefully we wont be dispatched this time either." Reynolds said.

Ayamo got up and headed for the nearby sink.

"W- water…" She said desperately.

"Hey Ayamo! Don't drink too fast!" Shizuha warned as she ran over to her.

"Our shift's early today." Shizuha said. Karin also went with Ayamo.

"I know, I know!" Ayamo said. Mikaze still stayed, panting, staring at the yellow lane. Beads of sweat poured off of her. Finally Mikaze got up and headed for the ready room followed shortly by Roy.

Sora and Tsubasa sat in their flight suits in the cockpit of their MS (meteor sweeper) craft while Sora was going over the steps of the procedure.

"Hey, hey don't be so nervous about it now! Don't you worry, you know I'll make the shot when it counts HA HA HA!" Tsubasa laughed.

"YEAH! THAT'S WHAT I'M WORRIED ABOUT! Better check your ego man! This could be our very first assignment! You know that!" Sora nagged.

"No worries man! In a few hours, we're gonna be heros!" Tsubasa said with a confident tone.

"You think you'll get to take the shot already? But even if we do get to go, it'll probably be handled by the other team." Sora replied.

"Ugh, girls would be all over me if I could just shoot one down." Tsubasa wined.

"Is that all you care about?" Sora asked, annoyed.

Meanwhile, miles above, the comet blasters made their approach to the incoming comet. They flew at amazing speed just outside the atmosphere. They released their massive missiles and their shuttles headed back towards the orbital station. The missiles exploded, the plasma cutters caused the comet to burst into multiple fragments before hitting the explosion. One large fragment flew straight through the explosion and was still large enough to cause damage.

Back in the ready room, Ayamo, Shizuha, and Karin donned their flight suits while Mikaze sat at the table in her PE outfit.

"Mikaze you slowpoke! Hurry up and get dressed!" Ayamo nagged.

"No worries, we won't be dispatched anyway." Mikaze said.

"MIKAZE! Look! Maybe you're right but it's our duty to be ready!" Ayamo said. An alarm went off in the ready room. Everyone turned to it.

"That's us!" Shizuha said.

"GOT THE ORBITAL CALCULATIONS!" Kisaragi demanded.

"Just got the data. Number of fragments: four! China, Russia regions: two! Micronesia, one! and one headed towards Japan! There will be heavy casualties upon impact! They'll reach interception area in sixteen minutes!" the traffic controller announced. Kisaragi looked to commander Reynolds and he nodded.

"Shimoji Island squadron! Engage!" He ordered.

"SCRAMBLE! MS 1 MS 2 ENGAGE!" Kisaragi ordered through the loudspeakers.

The mechanic, Mr. Sako helped everyone get ready for the interception.

"PUT SOME GUTS INTO IT! ROTATE PROPELLER!" He yelled.

"Propeller?" Tsubasa asked.

"Whats that!" Sora asked. Mr. Sako laughed for a moment.

"JUST MAKING THE MOOD! You two had better not mess up, or there'll be HELL to pay!" Mr. Sako ordered.

"Whoa, talk about pressure!" Sora commented.

Roy looked up and his eyes shot wide open as if something had hit him square in the back. He did his best to run to the control tower. When he got there he found Sub-commander Kisaragi, Commander Reynolds and the traffic controller taking care of operations.

"COMMANDER KISARAGI!" Roy yelled.

"As of right now, we are in alert mode, unauthorized personnel shouldn't be here." Kisaragi said.

"Listen this is important!" Roy said. She looked somewhat curious and the commander along with the traffic controller were interested in what Roy had to say.

"I need to know something! In your class you mentioned the SS system forming the declaration about fifty years ago." Roy said.

"So you _were_ paying attention." Kisaragi replied sarcastically.

"That's besides the point! I need to know what year it is!" Roy said.

"It's the year 2024. Why?" Kisaragi said. Roy's eyes shot wide open again.

"Oh god!" Roy said.

"What's wrong?" Kisaragi asked, looking slightly concerned. Roy stepped back a step while staring at the ground in disbelief.

"That explains it! Oh my god!" Roy said.

"Roy, what's wrong!" Commander Reynolds asked as he stepped in Roy's direction.

"IT'S WHY YOU DON'T KNOW! IT'S WHY MY RECORDS WERE NONEXISTENT!" Roy yelled.

"What are you saying!" Kisaragi demanded.

"I've…been sent back through time 300 years!" Roy said. Kisaragi, the traffic controller, and Reynolds all gasped at what Roy had said.

"I'VE BEEN SENT BACK IN TIME!" Roy yelled.

The first two MS craft launched off of the ZELL (Zero Length Launch) trucks at high speed straight for the sky.

Ayamo, Karin, and Shizuha watched as the first two MS craft took off.

"Hey they're off!" Ayamo commented.

"We're up next." Shizuha said. Mikaze finished getting herself ready but looked scared.

"Sashiba 11, Sashiba 22, approaching altitude of 30,000 feet." The traffic controller said.

In the cockpit of MS 1, Kazuma Iwasaki and Kei Fujitani were focused on their mission.

"Target altitude reached! 30 seconds to booster burnout!" Mr. Fujitani reported. Kazuma noticed a flock of birds ahead and his eyes shot wide open.

"Sashiba 11, Sashiba 22, BOTH ABORT!" The traffic controller yelled through the speakers. Mikaze and the others were surprised.

"Sashiba 22, report!" Kazuma ordered.

"Something got sucked into the intake!" Tsubasa reported.

"Number 1, hydro pressure down!" Sora reported.

"Don't worry! Go down first!" Mr. Fujitani ordered.

"Sashiba 11, Sashiba 22, both off course from interception!" the traffic controller announced.

"COMMANDER!" Kisaragi yelled. Reynolds nodded.

"Sashiba 33, Sashiba 44, scramble!" the traffic controller ordered.

"It…can't be" Mikaze said quietly.

"ALL RIGHT! HERE'S OUT CHANCE TO GET SOME RESPECT!" Ayamo yelled. They grabbed their helmets and headed for the runway.

"W-WAIT UP!" Mikaze yelled. Mikaze ran up to the yellow lane and froze. Everyone noticed and yelled to her but she couldn't hear. Roy finally snapped back to the situation at hand and ran out to the runway where he saw Mikaze frozen in place.

"MIKAZE!" Roy yelled.

Mikaze still stood staring at the lane with fear in her eyes.

"MIKAZE!" Roy yelled again. Mikaze still stood staring at the border.

"…HELP ME!" She screamed. All of a sudden, a gust of wind blew and pushed her across the border. Her eyes shot wide open as she was pushed. She paused for a second and realized she was across and saw a bird flying above.

"HEY HONJOU! WHAT ARE YOU DOING! GET ABOARD!" Mr. Sako yelled. Mikaze ran to the MS craft, jumped in the pilot seat and put on her helmet.

"There you go!" Roy said with a smile. he ran back for the control tower to watch from there.

"Mikaze?" Shizuha asked.

"Sorry, I was just thinking. I'm ok now." Mikaze said as the MS craft engine powered up. Both MS craft were raised and ready for launch. Both MS craft pilots went through the system check and…

"BLAST OFF!" Ayamo yelled. Sashiba 22 flew right out of the cradle of the ZELL truck and soared into the air.

"Power set!" Mikaze said.

"Roger!" Shizuha replied,

"BLAST OFF!" Mikaze yelled. The engines lit up and Sashiba 11 shot up off of the second ZELL truck. Both craft quickly gained speed and hit 30,000 feet.

"Booster, burn out!" Shizuha announced.

"Booster separation!" Mikaze replied. Both craft jettisoned their wing-mounted boosters and continued their ascent.

"Hang in there!" Kisaragi said.

"Go on, Mikaze, you're finally taking flight! You're no longer caged!" Roy said. Kisaragi looked to him curiously.

The MS craft approached the incoming meteor.

"Missile launch in 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1…" Shizuha counted down. the craft acquired lock.

"FOX 1!" Mikaze yelled as she fired the missile.

"…2, 1." Karin said.

"FOX 1!" Ayamo yelled as she launched her missile. Both missiles hit their target and the meteor was destroyed.

"Target destroyed." The traffic controller announced. Kisaragi and Reynolds both let out a sigh of relief while Roy let out a small smile.

"_I might be 300 years before my time…but…somehow I feel happy for now."_ Roy thought.

"Sigh! We did it! Lets go home." Ayamo said.

"HUH! Mikaze! We gotta turn around!" Shizuha said.

"Just a little further, we'll be in outer- huh!" Mikaze saw the comet blaster above her as it passed in the atmosphere.

"MIKAZE!" Shizuha yelled.

"Oh! Sorry!" Mikaze said as she changed course, back for Shimoji island.

MS 1 and 2 landed on runway 17 and the girls got out. Roy stepped out onto the runway and smiled at Mikaze.

"_Not bad kid. Not that I'm one to talk, she's only Two years younger. But still…"_ Roy thought.

Back at Kouchin, Karin, Shizuha, and Ayamo ran around serving the customers.

"HI! Can we take our order!" Tsubasa called.

"Give it up. Tsubasa, we're just not meant to eat lunch here at the Kouchin." Sora said.

"Oh! Where the heck is Mikaze anyway! And Roy as well!" Shizuha asked.

Back at that bird statue, Roy and Mikaze stood looking out to sea. Mikaze threw another paper plane, it turned around again, and this time, she caught it. She looked at the bird statue.

"It's ok, no more running away." Mikaze said with a smile. She looked to Roy and smiled even more.

"Thanks…" She said. Roy responded with a smile.

End of chapter 2

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**Well, that's it for this chapter, little longer than I expected but I think it turned out pretty good. Many of the lines from stratos 4 will be just like in the series but there will be big changes, additions and other stuff cut out to make room, hope you liked flights 1 and 2. Be sure to check out Flight 3: change in plans!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Ok here's chapter 3 of Stratos 4: the Shivan Veteran. Previously, Mikaze finally got to fly on an interception mission and Roy realized that he's no longer in his own time. With this, Roy has to do everything he can to get back to his own time or at least survive in the past.

* * *

**

Flight 3: Change in plans!

"Help….me…." A mysterious voice called out to Roy in the darkness. Roy heard it from inside his cockpit of the Zeus assault bomber and he looked around for where it could have come from. He only saw the blackness of space.

"….Help…me…" The voice called out again. Roy looked around but still could only see the blackness of space. He brought his fighter around and saw earth.

His radar suddenly showed a massive amount of jump signatures behind him. He looked back and saw the Shivan Sathanas fleet from Capella and heading in his direction along with many comets heading towards earth.

Roy turned on all of the bombers' systems and blasted towards earth at full afterburner speed. He looked back and saw that the Sathanas fleet was quickly closing in on him.

"THIS IS ALPHA 1! THE SATHANAS FLEET HAS MADE IT TO EARTH! GTVA COMMAND PLEASE RESPOND!" Roy yelled into the com. He heard no response on the other end. He began re-entry as the fire from the atmosphere formed around his bomber.

The massive Juggernaughts began firing their main beam cannons at the small bomber. Roy began evading the massive red beams as he continued the re-entry sequence. He had to dodge the many beams of the eighty massive Juggernaughts behind him. The comets began entry into the atmosphere just behind Roy.

"ALPHA 1 TO ANYONE! THE SATHANAS FLEET IS FIRING ON ME AND COMETS ARE GOING TO CRASH INTO EARTH! PLEASE RESPOND!" Roy yelled. He continued into the atmosphere and noticed his warning systems were screaming at him. He looked back and saw a Sathanas right behind him. He could see the claws of the ship extending far in front of him.

"Oh crap! I'm dead!" Roy said. The Sathanas powered up its beam cannons again and fired. The beams hit and tore apart the Zeus. The last thing he saw was a glimpse of the mysterious ship again before his cockpit exploded.

"AAAAAAAHHHH!" Roy yelled as he got up from his bed. He was panting and extremely sweaty. He looked around and realized that he was back in the room with Mikaze and Shizuha on Shimoji Island.

"Hey! Are you all right!" Mikaze asked as she got down to see him. Shizuha also got down to see if he was ok. Roy looked around for a minute longer and took a deep breath.

"Ah…it was only a dream…no…not a dream…a nightmare." Roy said as he caught his breath. Ayamo, the owner of the restaurant, and another woman ran into the room as Karin stopped just outside the door.

"Geez man! I was asleep and woken up to your scream!" Ayamo complained.

"Sorry, bad dream" Roy said.

"I'll say! You screamed loud enough to wake the whole island. AREN'T YOU SUPPOSED TO BE A MAN! ACT LIKE IT!" Ayamo yelled.

"Oh don't be so hard on him, even guys like him can be spooked by bad dreams." The woman said as she sat down next to Roy.

"Ms. Ron! He woke us all up!" Ayamo complained.

"Oh, let it go, you would have been woken up around this time anyway. Why don't you girls get ready, and you too Roy. I'll prepare breakfast." Ms. Ron said. She helped Roy to his feet. Shizuha, Ayamo, and Karin all got ready and went downstairs with Roy and Ms Ron for breakfast. Mikaze stayed in the room and got ready.

Downstairs, Roy, Shizuha, Karin, and Ayamo were enjoying breakfast. Shizuha sat next to Roy, Karin next to Shizuha, and Ayamo next to Karin. Roy looked slightly from his food in the girls' direction. Shizuha looked at him and winked, Karin looked at him curiously and Ayamo looked at him as if she was studying him carefully.

Roy didn't have any thought on how Shizuha and Karin looked at him, but he paid more attention to the look Ayamo was giving him.

_"I know that look…that's the kind of look you give someone when you feel uneasy with them." _Roy thought.

A little while later, Karin and Ayamo left for the base and Shizuha went to help Ms. Ron. Roy waited for Shizuha and Mikaze before leaving for the base. While waiting, Roy looked deep into his thoughts and tried to find some conclusion as to how he ended up 300 years before his time.

_"Do people that get caught in supernovas get sent to a different time?" _Roy wondered. After a while of deep thought, Roy noticed movement out of the corner of his eye. Shizuha had returned to meet him.

"Hey Roy, have you seen Mikaze?" Shizuha asked.

"Not yet." Roy said.

"Oohhh, Mikaze!" Shizuha moaned as she started running up the stairs. She turned back to the room and opened the door.

"Mikaze wake up! Its time to go to the base- huh? Where…" Shizuha asked. She looked around the room but Mikaze was nowhere to be found.

"Oh Mikaze left already." Ms Ron said. Roy and Shizuha looked surprised.

"What! Mikaze left! Already!" Roy and Shizuha asked simultaneously.

On base, Mikaze was running a lap on the runway. She looked a bit better than the last time, more determined.

"Ugh! Did she get penalized again?" Sora asked. He and Tsubasa were working on one of the trainer craft.

"Oopsy doesn't she ever learn?" Tsubasa asked.

"What did she do this time?" Ms. Kisaragi asked. Sora and Tsubasa looked over to her with question.

"She doesn't learn does she?" Ms. Kisaragi asked. Sora looked back at Mikaze again.

"But…she looks different." Sora replied.

"Maybe she's a bit more motivated. After all, if she doesn't change, she'll just be left behind." Ms. Kisaragi said with a smile.

In the workout room, Ayamo walked in and started stretching.

"Ahh lets see, I'll focus on the upper body today. Huh?" Ayamo said. She heard Mikaze working out on another machine. She looked as if she had been working hard there.

"…Mikaze?" Ayamo whispered.

Back outside on the base, Mr. Sako stepped out and shielded his eyes from the sun.

"Another hot day in the never ending summer." He said. He looked back in the hangar and saw a pair of legs hanging from the unfinished engine part of another jet.

"THAT BRAT! PLAYING HOOKIE AGAIN! HEEEYY!" He said as he ran over.

"I TOLD YOU THAT'S NOT A PARASOL! GET OFF YOU IDIOT!" He yelled. Ms. Kisaragi sat up and yawned.

"Haaah, sorry." She said.

"Ms. Kisaragi! What are you doing here!" Mr. Sako asked.

"Well it's so cool here so I thought I'd…" Kisaragi said.

"Give me a break, that's an important part. I thought Mikaze was goofing off again." Sako said.

"She should be in the simulator right about now." Kisaragi replied.

"The simulator? Did she turn over a new leaf?" Sako asked.

"It would be nice if she kept it up." Kisaragi said.

Mikaze had just walked out of the flight simulator when Shizuha and Ayamo ran up to her.

"Mikaze! We looked all over for you." Shizuha said.

"You were in the simulator?" Ayamo asked.

"Yeah." Mikaze replied.

"Say, you wanna go swimming?" Shizuha asked.

"But I-" Mikaze began.

"No problem, we brought yours too." Ayamo said.

"Oh…" Mikaze responded.

"Come on! Lets go!" Shizuha said.

"Karin and Roy are already there!

At the lake, Mikaze was blowing up one of her inner tubes. Everyone was in their swim suits except Roy who was in his basic relax wear from the GTVA. He was sitting at a bench near Mikaze, Ayamo and Shizuha.

"Mikaze!" Ayamo said. Mikaze looked over to Ayamo with the tube nozzle still in her mouth.

"Hey you! You can't use your tube in the best diving spot in Japan!" Ayamo complained.

"That's right, you have to dive!" Shizuha said as she stepped in front of them. She wore her hair in two ponytails.

"Teehee, last one in's a rotten egg!" She said as she ran over to the pond.

"Hey! You got a head start! Come on Mikaze!" Ayamo said as she grabbed Mikaze by the arm.

"AH! Hey wait!" Mikaze said.

"Mikaze, did you know that this pond is fresh water at the top and sea water at the bottom? The water change at the boundary feels so great!" Ayamo said. Shizuha jumped in for the dive. Roy got up and walked over to the edge where he could see everyone.

"The boundary between fresh and sea water?" Mikaze asked. Roy got right about to where Ayamo and Mikaze were.

"Hey, lets see who can stay under water longer." Ayamo challenged.

"WHAT?" Mikaze asked.

"The looser will be making deliveries tonight." Ayamo said. Roy stood right next to Mikaze and smirked.

_"Well these girls seem to have quite a bit of fun. Too bad I don't know how to swim or I'd join them." _Roy thought.

"Oh come on! You cant be-" Mikaze was interrupted by Ayamo pushing her over.

"AH! AH!" Mikaze began to scream. She reached for anything in her reach and finally grabbed onto Roy's arm and he lost balance and began to fall with Mikaze.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH-" they screamed. They both hit and submerged. Roy looked around frantically and tried to surface but couldn't. Mikaze tried to help him but he was panicking. He was trying to grasp the water but with every motion he went down even further.

Mikaze got in front of Roy and pulled him close to her and put her lips to his.

_"WHAT THE HELL IS SHE DOING KISSING ME NOW! Oh, wait. I can feel air coming down my windpipe. She's helping me breath." _Roy thought. Mikaze pulled her face back and tried to pull Roy back to the surface. She made it to about ten feet to the surface when she was having a hard time holding her breath.

Ayamo surfaced and say Shizuha and Karin floating, waiting for Roy and Mikaze.

"…6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11…" Karin counted.

"Hey where's Mikaze and Roy?" Ayamo asked.

"…13, 14, 15, 16, 17…" Karin continued.

"What? No way, they haven't come up yet?" Ayamo asked. Shizuha laughed sheepishly.

"WHAT!" Ayamo asked.

Back at their room at Kouchin, Mikaze and Roy were in bed unconscious. Mikaze came around and was gasping for breath.

"MMMMM! I'LL DIE! I'M DROWNING!" She yelled as she gasped. She took a moment and looked around to see admiral laying on her.

"Hey! I told you not to get on top of me! Lucky I wasn't crushed to death!" Mikaze said as she pushed admiral off of her. She sat back up and remembered when she was trying to help Roy and then her eyes shot open and she looked around frantically.

"ROY! WHERE- Huh?" Mikaze saw Roy on the makeshift bed on the floor unconscious. She got off of her bed and sat down next to him to see if he was ok. She got down close to see if he was breathing when his eyes shot open and he started gasping for breath. Mikaze backed up quickly.

"AH! Gah! Ugh, I didn't expect that to happen." He said as he caught his breath. Mikaze smiled.

"Its good to see you're all right." Mikaze said.

"Oh, thanks. I owe you one." Roy said with a smile. They both sat up and sat against the bed, looking out the window.

_"I wonder if I've been living in a colorless world all this time? I always did what I was told, to avoid mistakes. Was that the right thing to do? When we got dispatched the other day…I saw colors for the first time." _Mikaze wondered. Roy looked at Mikaze and noticed she was deep in thought.

_"Hmm, I wonder, does she want to go to space that badly? Then again, I want to get back out there and back to my own time. I want to help against the Shivan front but I cant do anything from here…WAIT! Maybe there are key events here that can help us in the future! I'm going to have to get my logs and all the data from my bomber, I should have my old text books with me." _Roy thought.

Karin cracked open the door and saw admiral. She stayed just outside the door.

"Mikaze? Roy?" Karin asked. Mikaze and Roy looked over to Karin.

"Are you up?" She asked. Mikaze nodded.

Downstairs, everyone was celebrating the successful interception of Mikaze, Shizuha, Ayamo, and Karin.

"Here, a large order of sour pork with goya. And why do I have to do the cooking TODAY!" Shizuha complained.

"Aren't we the ones to be celebrated at this party?" Ayamo asked. Mr. Sako reached his empty glass in her direction

"Don matter! JUS ANOTHER EXCUSE TO DRINK! NOW GIMMI!" Mr. Sako said as he snatched the bottle of alcohol out of Ayamo's hand.

"You never need an excuse to drink Mr. Sako.

"SHUT UP! QUIT WHINING! YOU'RE SPEAKING TO AN INSTRUCTOR!" Tsubasa yelled.

"Sure, sure, have a swig." Shizuha said as she offered him a drink.

"Take a swig on juice?" Tsubasa asked. Mr. Sako downed another glass of the alcohol.

"So how high did you go up? Huh?" Sako asked.

"What do you mean?" Ayamo asked.

"THE HIGHEST POINT! ALTITUDE! HOW MANY FEET DID YOU GO UP TO!" Sako yelled.

"Uh I'd say about uh, a hundred and fifty thousand?" Shizuha said.

"Gh! That's within the mission profile! How pathetic!" Sako replied.

"But we have to follow the rules." Sora said. Sako looked to Sora with a smile.

"Actually there's a custom that meteor sweepers challenge the highest altitude record during training…since it's possible to confirm who went up the highest!" Sako explained.

"For real Mr. Sako?" Sora asked.

"THINK YOU'RE SAFE BECAUSE YOU'RE FLYING AS YOU'RE ORDERED! SINCE WHEN DID METEOR SWEEPER PILOTS BECOME SUCH WIMPS!" Mr. Sako yelled.

"Mr. Sako, Please don't fill their heads with such CRAZY ideas." Kazuma said.

"What are you saying! Who was it that always boasted about being the one to go up the highest huh!" The restaurant owner asked.

"After all, you were the biggest troublemaker we had at our place." Ms. Ron said.

"That's ancient history." Kazuma said.

"You were always reaching for the top!" Ms. Ron said.

"So you heard heaven calling you." Mr. Fujitani joked.

"Wow is that right? I want to hear more stories about Kazuma!" Ms. Kisaragi said.

"Mr. Iwasuki is the one who started calling Alice, Admiral." Ms. Ron said.

"I WASN'T ASKING YOU!" Ms. Kisaragi yelled as she pushed Mr. Fujitani's face into his soup. Admiral jumped out of Ms. Ron's arms and ran across the table.

"THOSE WHO WANT TO GET UP THERE, GET THAT MUCH CLOSER TO SPACE! THEY'RE THE TRUE BLUE PILOTS!" Mr. Sako explained. Mikaze, Karin, and Roy had just got back downstairs to see what was going on. They stopped at the base of the stairs.

"THE RECORD IS ONE 179,200 FEET! YOU GOTTA FLY TO BREAK THAT RECORD! UP FOR THE CHALLENGE!" Mr. Sako asked.

"No way! If you do, it will be another pink card!" Ms. Kisaragi warned.

"I really want to go up into space too, you know that?" Mr. Sako asked. He turned to Sora.

"Why do I have to tighten screws on planes in a hic town like this!" Sako asked as he hugged Sora.

"Miharu, space is so far away!" Sako whined.

"Y-you're hurting me Mr. Sako!" Sora complained.

"YOU JUST DON'T GET IT DO YOU!" Sako yelled.

Mikaze listened to the conversation and thought for a moment.

"Space…" She said quietly to herself. Roy looked to Mikaze.

"You're not thinking what I think you are, are you?" Roy asked. Mikaze looked to him.

"Everything said about reaching space just now was said by a drunk mechanic. Don't tell me you're actually going to try to break that record." Roy said. Mikaze looked back at Mr. Sako and thought for a little more.

The next day, Ms. Kisaragi was giving instructions to Mikaze, Shizuha, Ayamo, and Karin about a training mission. Roy was in the room but was not to participate in the mission. He was only there because Ms. Kisaragi had him there to keep an eye on him.

_"Hmm. So this is how they do training missions huh? The way I had mine was in simulators or we flew with drones, and all weapons were trainer shots. Do they just program something in the jets here?" _Roy thought.

"Now let's start the mission!" Ms. Kisaragi said.

"Yes ma'am!" The girls said as they went to get their gear.

"Ms. Kisaragi?" Roy asked. Kisaragi looked back to him with question.

"What do you plan on doing with me?" Roy asked.

"Honestly I don't know and it's not my call. If anything I'm having a really hard time swallowing what you said the other day." Kisaragi said.

"Yeah, I'm having a hard time believing it myself. But everything leads to it." Roy said.

"You haven't told anyone else about that theory, have you?" Kisaragi asked.

"Of course not! You probably already think I'm a nut job! Why would I just go blurting something like that to the whole base!" Roy replied.

"Look, I don't think you're crazy…not yet anyway. There is evidence that you're not where you're supposed to be. And the kinds of technology on your ship as well as your logs do show that you have been in space and you're really advanced. So I'm not going to say anything unless there's proof that you're not from the future." Kisaragi said.

"That's real re-assuring. And why is my bomber still on lockdown? What if an emergency happens and I need to get to it?" Roy asked.

"That's classified. I'm sorry but you'll have to talk to the commander about that." Kisaragi said. Roy limped up to her and grabbed her by the shoulder.

"Listen, I might know something that will happen in the future! If I can access my personal things from my bomber, I can probably help. If you'd let me! And besides, that's my ship. If I have any chance of returning to my own time or changing any key events to help the future, it's with my ship." Roy explained.

Kisaragi looked at him carefully and Roy held a steady look to Kisaragi. She finally shook his hand off of her shoulder.

"Ok, I'll talk to the commander. In the meantime, I want you in my sight as long as you're on the base unless the commander says otherwise, and no funny business. Understood" Kisaragi asked.

"Fully, commander.

Outside, Mikaze and the others ran to their planes for the training mission. Mikaze stopped at the yellow lane again. She stopped for a moment, remembering the last time she went up, and finally jumped over it. She looked back at the lane again for a moment before heading for the MS interceptor.

"Mikaze you're late." Karin said. Mikaze jumped in, strapped herself in and got ready to fly.

"Sorry!" Mikaze responded. Both of the ZELL trucks raised the catapult for the MS takeoff.

"Sashiba 33, clear to start. Ten seconds to launch. Sashiba 33, Sashiba 44, start your engines." The traffic controller said. Roy stood in the control tower and watched.

"Sashiba 33, ready to launch!" Mikaze said as her MS craft engines activated.

"Sashiba 44, ready to launch!" Ayamo said.

"Sashiba 33, Sashiba 44, clear to launch!" The traffic controller announced.

"BLASTOFF!" Mikaze yelled as she pushed the throttle control into full afterburner. Both MS craft shot out of the ZELL trucks catapult and into the sky. The two MS craft steadily gained altitude until the 30,000 feet mark. The wing mounted boosters burned out and trailed smoke.

"Booster burnout." Karin reported.

"Booster separation!" Mikaze said as she released the boosters.

"Turn over!" Mikaze said as she rolled the craft 180 degrees.

"Sashiba 33, Sashiba 44, both on course. About to reach intercept point." The traffic controller said.

"Number 3 engine ready for ignition." Karin said.

"IGNITION!" Mikaze yelled. The third engine of the MS craft blasted the jet of flame out the back, increasing speed of the craft. With the sudden boost of speed, the interior of both craft shook violently.

"Sashiba 33, Sashiba 44, 9000 feet, missile launch altitude." The traffic controller announced.

Mikaze and Ayamo looked forward and saw the dot on their screen in front of them marked "simulation" and lined up their craft for the shot.

"Ready to launch missile." Karin said. The target was still just outside of the firing marker. Mikaze waited until the shot lined up.

"FOX 1!" Mikaze yelled as she launched the missile. "FOX 1!" Ayamo yelled shortly after Mikaze. Both missiles flew faster than the MS craft and into space.

"Sashiba 33, Sashiba 44, both fired missiles." The traffic controller said.

"Sashiba 44, missile hit the target, changing course to return. We did it! Its over!" Ayamo cheered.

"What are you talking about? We still have to return and land. You know our training isn't over until we get back!" Shizuha advised.

"Hey it's me remember? I can land this beauty with my eyes closed." Ayamo said.

"Huh! Something's wrong! Mikaze's not coming down yet!" Shizuha said.

"What! It can't be! Could she be!" Ayamo asked as she looked to Mikaze's craft. Mikaze was still flying towards the sky. The altimeter was climbing fast. 175,000 feet and counting.

"Sashiba 33, turn around and descend, Sashiba 33!" The traffic controller ordered.

"Return limit line exceeded." Karin said. She looked forward and out the cockpit window. Mikaze started reaching towards the front of the cockpit.

_"Beyond this…space is just beyond this!" _Mikaze thought. The altimeter showed 180, 491 feet.

"Loosing pressure on LO2 tank." Karin said.

"Turning aboart!" Mikaze said as she turned her craft to descend.

"Sashiba 33, has begun descent!" The traffic controller said. Ms. Kisaragi sighed.

"Unbelievable, tell her she's running three laps on the runway upon return." Kisaragi said.

"If she can return at all." Kazuma said. Everyone looked to Kazuma.

"Dammit! I told her not to listen to Mr. Sako when he's drunk!" Roy said.

Mikaze had the MS craft on a steady descent towards earth.

"Gotta hurry, or I'll get the pink card again!" Mikaze said.

"But we only have 4,400 pounds of fuel left." Karin said.

"What?" Mikaze gasped.

"We can't make it back to Shimoji island." Karin said.

"An emergency call from Sashiba 33, will not return to base due to lack of fuel, they will try an emergency landing." The traffic controller said.

"I knew it, going up without calculating the necessary fuel for the return trip." Kazuma said.

"Ugh that STUPID GIRL!" Kisaragi yelled.

"Maintaining this flight path of 140, altitude is 30,000 feet. Based on the remaining fuel including the gliding distance, the available range will be 450 miles." Karin said.

"Where are we gonna land? It's all ocean down there! The closest IWO island is in the middle of a storm!" Mikaze argued.

"Oh, maybe we can make it to the Anderson base." Karin suggested.

"Where?" Mikaze asked.

"…In Guam." Karin said.

"Guam?" Kisaragi asked.

"With Sashiba 33's remaining fuel, it wont reach Shimoji island. Also due to the tropical low air pressure heading back to Honshu will reduce their cruising distance from the head winds." The traffic controller said.

"If they head for Guam, it will tail wind and their cruising distance will increase." Kisaragi said.

"But they have to go through the tropical low pressure area." The traffic controller said.

"Isn't there another way Karin?" Mikaze asked.

"There is." Karin said.

"WHAT? WHAT!" Mikaze asked.

"Eject and wait for help." Karin said.

"Ugh! Is there anything else? Couldn't Roy come in his craft and pick us up in the air and take us back?" Mikaze asked.

"No, that won't work. His bomber only has two seats." Karin said.

"Anything else?" Mikaze asked desperately.

"We…can pray." Karin said.

"Ugh! ALL RIGHT! LET'S DO IT! JUST GOTTA GET TO GUAM RIGHT!" Mikaze yelled.

"Course 120, we'll be entering a typhoon." Karin said.

Back at Shimoji Island, Ayamo and Shizuha ran into the control tower.

"Ms. Kisaragi! How are they doing!" Ayamo asked.

"They're in the middle of a typhoon!" Kisaragi said.

"Mikaze is really doing what she can to make it to the base. I know she'll make it." Roy said. Kisaragi stepped over to him and leaned close to his ear.

"Is that because you have confidence in her or do you know what happens from the future?" Kisaragi whispered.

"…I've seen her in textbooks. And I believe in her. She'll make it?" Roy said.

Mikaze tried to keep the plane at a high altitude in the typhoon. The storm was full of turbulence and caused a downburst on the MS craft.

"We lost 5000 feet on that downburst, course change to 150." Karin said.

"ROGER! JUST FLYING STRAIGHT IS QUITE A CHALLENGE!" Mikaze yelled.

"Mikaze you're enjoying this." Karin said. Mikaze looked back to her in question.

"Did…you see colors again?" Karin asked.

"Of course I see them! I'm definitely going, to outer space!" Mikaze said. the plane passed through the last of the cloud cover of the typhoon and she could see the blue of the sky again.

"Wow! Beautiful!" Mikaze said. An alarm started going off in the craft. Mikaze and Karin looked down and saw that the fuel gage was at zero.

"We're out of fuel!" Mikaze said.

"Sixty more miles to Anderson base." Karin said.

"We've gotta make it!" Mikaze said.

"Anderson control, Sashiba 33, request emergency landing!" Mikaze announced.

"Clear to approach! Runway 06, lat wind 200 & 8, crosswind." The Anderson base traffic controller said.

"I see it! There it is!" Mikaze said.

"Mikaze, I don't know when the engine is going to stop." Karin said.

"In that case, we'll have to go with a no-flap landing to get some distance!" Mikaze said.

"Anderson control, Sashiba 33, request no-flap landing! Due to low fuel!" Mikaze said.

"Going for a no-flap landing!" Kisaragi asked.

"If she does that, she'll come in too fast to stop!" Shizuha said.

"The arresting hook will be utilized." The traffic controller said.

"Grrrrr I CAN'T BELIEVE SHE'S DOING THIS!" Kisaragi said.

_"Come on Mikaze! You can do it!" _Roy thought.

Back at the Anderson base, the arresting hook cable was laid out over the runway and ready to receive the MS craft.

"Runway in sight!" Mikaze said.

"Decision height!" Karin said.

"Landing!" Mikaze said.

"Sashiba 33 identified. HEY LOOK NO GEAR!" The Anderson traffic controller said.

"Say what!" the base commander asked.

"Not yet Karin? Not yet?" Mikaze asked. Karin paid close attention to the gages.

"3, 2, 1, ok!" Karin said.

"Gear down!" Mikaze and Karin said in sequence. The landing gear deployed from the craft as Mikaze brought it in closer for landing.

"Gears will cause resistance too." Karin warned.

"Arresting hook down!" Mikaze and Karin said in sequence. Karin dropped the lever for the arresting hook and it dropped in the back of the plane.

"HERE WE GO!" Mikaze yelled. Mikaze leveled out the plane for landing and the tires on the gear hit the ground hard causing the plane to bounce over the wire.

"SPEED BREAKS!" Mikaze yelled as she activated the breaks. Four flaps on the exterior of the plane extended and the plane began slowing down slightly. The craft was screaming down the runway at dangerously high speed. Mikaze saw the end of the runway and held on as tight as she could to the breaks.

"STOOOOOOOOOOOOOOP!" She yelled.

"I heard your record was broken. 182,380 feet. Want to challenge again?" Mr. Sako asked.

"Of course not. I'm old enough to know better." Kazuma replied.

"You landed at IWO island right?" Sako asked.

"…Yeah" Kazuma said.

"So it wasn't just that you were drunk." Roy said. Kazuma and Sako looked back at Roy.

"I thought that you only seemed to be serious about that from being so drunk. I didn't know it was something you take seriously for real." Roy said.

"Well, I do. And I do say some stupid things when I'm drunk, I'll admit." Sako replied.

"Hmm, you know? You're not half bad." Roy said with a smile.

Back at Kouchin, things were really busy. The restaurant was packed.

"Oohh, Why does it get so crowded!" Shizuha asked as she ran to take care of a customer.

"Especially when we're short handed!" Ayamo continued as she ran to another. They ran from their last orders and ran into each other.

"OOAAAAAHHH! WHEN THOSE TWO GET BACK…THERE'LL BE HELL TO PAY!" Ayamo and Shizuha said simultaneously.

Back at the Anderson base, Mikaze and Karin were enjoying their time at the beach until their craft could be refueled. Karin stayed on the beach texting.

"Karin! Look at me! Weeeee!" Mikaze yelled from the diving board as she jumped. Karin looked up from texting to see Mikaze as she swam back. Mikaze got back onto the beach and splashed Karin with the water on her hands.

"This is so much fun!" Mikaze laughed as she sat next to Karin.

Back at Shimoji Island, Roy went up to see the base commander.

"Oh Roy, perfect timing, I wanted to speak with you." Commander Reynolds said.

"Really? What about?" Roy asked.

"I'm going to assign you to work with Mr. Sako, our mechanic." Reynolds said.

"But I'm not from this time. How will you be able to get me to work legally like this?" Roy asked.

"I'm aware of that, we'll have an ID made for you. It should be here soon." Reynolds said.

"So…you actually believe me?" Roy asked.

"It's a hard fact to swallow but the proof is irrefutable. You are definitely not supposed to exist yet. Mr. Sako will have work for you tomorrow, just do as he says and you'll do fine." Reynolds said.

"Thank you for your help sir." Roy said as he went for the door.

"One more thing Roy." Reynolds said. Roy stopped and looked to him.

"Don't take anything Kisaragi says personally. She's doing her job to the best of her ability." Reynolds said. Roy nodded and left. He went onto the runway and looked out at the sunset.

"Better be careful when you get back Mikaze, Kisaragi seemed pretty mad. She'll definitely have a surprise in store for you upon return." Roy said to himself.

"Heh, then again, maybe the commander will let you off the hook." Roy chuckled.

End of chapter 3

* * *

**Well that was a shorter time than I expected. I hope you like what's up so far, keep reading when new chapters when they come up. Oh and for the hell of it, send me in reviews which of the girls you think will win Roy over XD, yes they will all like him, just because Roy happens to be spending a lot of time with Mikaze doesn't mean he likes her in that way. And it won't be until the end of the story that Roy decides. Also, if you know how tsunderes are, you'll know that Ayamo does in fact like the guy. And don't worry, things will get a LOT more interesting. For now, be sure to hang in there for Flight 4: Failed Attempt! **


	4. Chapter 4

**Previously, Roy has been having nightmares of the Shivans making it to earth space, he has decided to do what he can to change the future and benefit the outcomes f the Terran Vasuden war, Mikaze broke the height record and landed at a base in Guam with Karin. With Roy's decision to try and change the future, his first attempt will be soon. But what can he do to influence a future that is 300 years away?

* * *

**

Flight 4: Failed attempt!

* * *

It was a few days after Mikaze and Karin returned from Anderson base. Mikaze, Ayamo, Shizuha, and Karin were all in trainer craft up above while Roy was working on an engine with Mr. Sako early in the morning. He was able to do some heavy lifting this time. His knee recovered a lot since the day he landed and his limping was almost nonexistent.

His ribs were still giving him trouble though. He brought over a few parts that Mr. Sako wanted him to get for the craft he had been working on.

"Here's the parts you asked for. You want me to set them down here?" Roy asked.

"Yeah, that's fine. You seem to be functioning a lot better." Mr. Sako commented.

"You think so?" Roy asked.

"Yeah, I mean, haven't you noticed that your limping is a lot less than before?" Mr. Sako asked. Roy looked at his leg and thought for a moment.

"Hmm…I guess. But even so, as a soldier I've been trained to be able to work and function even with injuries. You do what you have to no matter the cost." Roy said.

"Putting on the tough guy act? That will definitely get the girls attention." Sako laughed.

"It's not an act. I'm in constant pain. I'm aware of that. I've been trained to put that aside until I get done with whatever task I'm currently taking on." Roy explained.

"Uhh…it was a joke." Mr. Sako said.

"Hmm?" Roy was confused.

"You know, a joke? 'Haha'? something funny?" Mr. Sako asked. Roy looked off to the side in thought.

"You seriously don't know what a joke is?" Mr. Sako asked.

"I'm not familiar with one. is that another form of training?" Roy asked. Mr. Sako sighed and walked over to him.

"Ok, listen. A joke…I can't believe I'm actually having this conversation, is when someone says something funny. You could say something like 'that guy is so weak, he couldn't punch his way out of a wet paper bag.' Or something like that." Mr. Sako explained.

"But if the paper bag is wet, it wouldn't be able to hold a person in the first place, let alone taking punches from the inside." Roy said.

"You're missing the point! The point is not to think literally! Think figuratively! Its not meant to be literal!" Sako explained.

"But if it's not literal, it's not realistic." Roy said.

"That's why jokes are funny, BECAUSE they're not realistic." Mr. Sako said.

"…So what did you want me to get next?" Roy asked.

"Actually I was hoping you would help me with something." Sako said. He walked over to an engine part for the craft in the hangar. Roy followed close behind.

"Now if I'm not mistaken, you have some mechanical knowledge right?" Sako asked.

"Of course I do. I maintain my bomber on my own and it's in top condition." Roy explained.

"Good, I want you to help me rebuild this engine. Here's the specs." Sako said as he handed the specs to Roy. He looked at them curiously.

"They're a lot different than what I'm used to but it shouldn't be a problem." Roy said.

"Good, lets get started." Sako said as he and Roy got working on the engine.

Up above Shimoji Island, Trainer craft 01 and 02 flew as if they were simulating a small dogfight.

"Trainer 01, 02, you're off course. Please get back on course immediately." The traffic controller ordered.

"What's the matter?" Kisaragi asked as she walked into the control room. She was wearing a tank top and a skirt rather than her usual uniform.

"Oh! Miss Kisaragi, isn't it your day off?" The traffic controller asked.

"Sure it is, but where can I go on such a small island?" Kisaragi asked as she walked up to the traffic controller.

"So what's up?" She asked.

"It's those four girls, sub commander. See?" The traffic controller said as she pointed to the radar. The radar showed the two trainer craft heading to the southwest of Shimoji Island.

"Hmm, they're sure up to no good." Kisaragi said with somewhat of a smile.

On the runway, Admiral sat at the edge as the two trainer craft flew above the fat cat. Admiral wasn't fazed at all and just watched as the two craft flew above. Ayamo in trainer 02 cracked a smirk on her face. Shizuha in trainer 01 looked back and saw Ayamo behind her. She banked and tried to evade but Ayamo managed to stay right on her tail.

"HEEEEEERRRRNNN! DADADADADADADAAAA!" Ayamo made an impression of machinegun noises as her planes targeting systems locked onto trainer 01.

"All right! Shot down!" Ayamo said.

"What! No way!" Shizuha complained over the radio.

"Karin, you're in luck! Looks like we'll win this one! So, what do you think we should be treated to?" Ayamo asked.

"Wait a minute! This match isn't over yet!" Shizuha said. Both planes banked to re-center above Shimoji Island.

Ms. Ron watched from Kouchin with a smile on her face.

"Looks like they're having fun. They'll get a scolding for sure, right?" Ms. Ron asked as she looked at Admiral. She responded with her commonly annoyed meow.

Back in the air, both planes lined up in formation.

"That's it! No more miss nice girl!" Shizuha said.

"Mikaze! You have control!" Shizuha said.

"WHAT!" Mikaze yelled as she quickly grabbed the control stick.

"I HAVE CONTROL! HEY! AREN'T YOU SUPPOSED TO BE THE CAPTAIN TODAY!" Mikaze yelled.

"Then it's captain's orders! You're better at this than I am! Let's pound and pummel Ayamo's face in!" Shizuha said.

"Hey! I don't want to run laps on the runway again!" Mikaze said.

"Don't worry! The pesky old lady has the day off." Ayamo said.

"Karin! Speak up and stop her!" Mikaze said over the radio.

"Want to stop?" Karin asked.

"Nope!" Ayamo replied.

"Oh well." Karin said.

"Well don't try so hard Mikaze, you know you're no match for me anyway!" Ayamo teased.

"HMPH! Say your prayers!" Mikaze responded as they banked their planes in opposite directions.

Down on the runway, Sub-commander Kisaragi looked up at the two planes with an annoyed look.

"You're the ones who need to say your prayers!" Kisaragi said.

After they landed, Kisaragi gave each of the girls a pink penalty card and had them do a lap on the runway.

"Ms. Kisaragi was supposed to have the day off today!" Shizuha said.

"Who said that anyway?" Ayamo asked.

"I told you so!" Mikaze replied.

Over by the hangar, Tsubasa and Sora watched the girls run their lap.

"Those girls, they sure don't learn." Tsubasa commented.

"Yeah, even an octopus learns things." Sora replied.

"Octopus?" Tsubasa asked.

"Didn't you learn in science? With heavy electric shocks, an octopus can learn simple things." Sora explained. Roy heard the conversation and walked a bit closer to hear.

"Oh, maybe they'll be declared unqualified for service." Tsubasa said.

"At this rate, maybe we won't have to work so hard to get our tickets to outer space first." Sora commented. Roy seemed troubled by their conversation and moved in closer to say something. Before he could he heard one of the instructors behind him.

"Idiot! Like that's going to happen!" Mr. Fujitani said as he walked over to them. Roy looked at Kei Fujitani, listening for the next part of the conversation.

"Mr. Fujitani!" Sora and Tsubasa said in unison.

"This isn't a tournament, man. Even if your rivals decrease, if the grades are poor, that class can be disqualified." Fujitani explained.

"HUH!" Sora and Tsubasa reacted.

"If you don't watch out these octopi can get ahead of you." Mr. Fujitani said with a smile.

"No way that'll never happen!" Tsubasa laughed.

"Oh yeah they will." Roy commented. Tsubasa, Sora, and Mr. Fujitani turned around to look at Roy.

"What do you mean!" Tsubasa demanded.

"With a cocky attitude like yours, anyone can make it past you, guaranteed." Roy commented.

"OH YEAH! I'LL SHOW YOU THEY WON'T SURPASS ME!" Tsubasa challenged.

In the classroom, Kisaragi had posted the rankings of who'll be on next standby With Mikaze Honjyo at the top.

"AH! AH! AAAAHHHHH!" Tsubasa screamed.

"They got ahead of you, all of them." Sora dryly commented.

"WHA- WHAT'S UP WITH THIS! HOW CAN THEIR NAMES BE ABOVE MINE!" Tsubasa demanded.

"You've been positioned based on the results of the last mission. The four who performed their duties successfully: Honjyo, Kikuhara, Nakamura, and Doi, will take the lead next time we're on standby." Kisaragi explained. Mikaze was awestruck by the news.

"I'm the first…on standby!" Mikaze asked excitedly.

"Way to go Mikaze!" Ayamo said. Roy stood against the wall nearby and smiled.

"Yeah!" Mikaze said as she grew a smile.

"ARGH! I'M NOT CONVINCED!" Tsubasa continued to argue.

"One's real ability has to come out sometime!" Ayamo teased.

"That's right! We've been hiding it, but we're real can-do women you know!" Mikaze said playfully.

"OH YEAH! YOU KNOW YOU ONLY JUST GOT LUCKY! WITHOUT THAT ACCIDENT WITH THE BIRDS, I WOULD HAVE BEEN THE ONE TO SHOOT IT DOWN!" Tsubasa explained.

"Too bad, lady luck let you down." Shizuha said.

"I told you." Roy said from behind the group. Everyone looked back to him.

"I told you that with a cocky attitude, anyone could surpass you. But you didn't want to listen. Now look at your standings." Roy said with a smirk.

"WHO DO YOU THINK-" Tsubasa began but was cut off by Ayamo.

"He's right! We'll be in MS 1 and MS 2. You'll be in MS 3. In other words you're our backup. Understand the difference!" Ayamo taunted. Tsubasa continued to flare up in anger.

Back by Roy, Mr. Fujitani and Mr. Iwasaki sat in the chairs against the wall listening to the conversation.

"You think we'll be alright? With them?" Fujitani asked.

"Don't know…" Iwasaki said with a cold voice.

"They did it last time, I'm sure they can pull it off again." Roy said. Fujitani and Iwasaki looked up to Roy who had a contempt smile on his face.

"Hey don't take it so hard. We'll all be on standby anyway." Sora said as he placed a hand on Tsubasa's shoulder.

"This time around I don't think we'll just be standing by. Tomorrow the comet "Mary" will approach with a mass of 2,300,000 tons. It's well beyond the mass of the others and won't be completely destroyed by the Comet Blasters." Kisaragi explained.

"So our Meteor sweepers will take care of the left over comet fragments, in various trajectories. Our Shimoji Island base is in the comet fragment drop area as well." Kisaragi said.

"Which means the possibility of being dispatched is high." Ayamo commented.

"Not just high." Roy said. The girls looked back to him.

"You're definitely going up. I know it for sure. Just don't do anything reckless." Roy said with a cautious tone in his voice. Kisaragi shot a glare at Roy and then turned to Mikaze.

"Ms. Honjyo." She said. Mikaze looked back to Kisaragi.

"As you know, you'll be taking the lead this time. Do your best." Kisaragi said.

"Yes Ma'am!" Mikaze responded. Afterwards they left the base and headed for their delivery bikes from the Kouchin restaurant. Roy started walking in the direction of the street where he had been walking to get from Kouchin and the base since before he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey, you've been walking that distance for a while, why don't you ride with one of us?" Shizuha asked. Roy turned around and saw Mikaze, Karin, and Ayamo by their bikes waiting for an answer as well as Shizuha, standing by him with a smile. Roy thought for a moment and finally let on a smile.

"I'll ride." He said. Shizuha and Mikaze smiled, Karin just started her bike and got on, and Ayamo got on her bike as well but kept her eye on Roy.

_"He doesn't seem all that bad, and he did have a good point about Tsubasa…but I'm still going to be careful around him. Something just doesn't seem normal about him." _Ayamo thought. Roy went with Shizuha and propped himself on the back of her bike.

On the way back to Kouchin, Mikaze speed past the others with a smile on her face.

"YEEEEEEEEEAAAHOOOOOOO!" She yelled as she accelerated even further.

"MIKAZE! WAIT UP!" Ayamo yelled.

They got back and put the bikes in park just outside the Restaurant. Mikaze quickly ran into the Restaurant.

"WE"RE HOME!" Mikaze yelled happily as she giggled past Ms. Ron and the Restaurant owner. She ran straight up to her, Shizuha's and Roy's room. Roy walked in with the other girls and sat down in one of the nearby seats.

"It's good to see her in high spirits." Roy commented.

"I knew that talk you had with her would help. Thanks Roy." Shizuha said with a smile as she sat down next to him.

"Wait! What's this about a talk with Mikaze!" Ayamo demanded.

"Roy had a talk with her the night before our first interception. He was able to cheer her up for the night. He also helped her with her studies a bit the following night." Shizuha explained. Ayamo was surprised.

"You helped her study?" Ayamo asked.

"Yeah, and now she seems to be doing better. As long as she can function properly, that's all that matters. Besides, she seemed so sad that day. I couldn't just leave her there." Roy said.

Ayamo looked at Roy with confusion and intrigue in her eyes.

_"He…helped her? Even though he barely knows her?"_ Ayamo wondered.

Mikaze was up in the room getting her red Chinese dress on. She was happy as can be. She looked over and saw Admiral yawning on the desk. Mikaze ran over and picked her up.

"Hey! Admiral! Number 1 standby! Number ! standby!" Mikaze cheered as she spun around with Admiral. Admiral had her usual annoyed look. Mikaze stopped and stepped over to the window, still holding Admiral.

"I feel like…I'm getting closer to space step by step. I want to get there soon! Higher…and higher!" Mikaze said looking out the window.

Back at Shimoji Island base, Commander Reynolds and Mr. Sako were discussing matters about ammunition and supplies for the base.

"…Yes commander, it's more than enough. In my opinion it's definitely enough to run another base." Mr. Sako said.

"How long will this take?" Reynolds asked.

"Well I think everything should be delivered until Audrey arrives. Until then we have more than enough to last us." Mr. Sako informed.

"Replenishing equipment and ammunition isn't a big deal. What's more difficult than anything else, is to train the personnel to deliver them. It takes time and resources, on top of that; unfortunately not everyone can graduate and serve." Reynolds said.

"We sure can't hand over the responsibility of maintaining world peace to sub-par students." Mr. Sako replied.

"Development of interceptors is a primary concern to the global community." Reynolds said.

"Are we…in that much of a pickle?" Sako asked.

"It's definitely not an optimistic situation." Reynolds said.

"Maybe so, but if we hurry too much, won't some who would grow, end up not growing?" Sako asked.

"It's important for us to find those who won't grow, and eliminate them as well. We don't have the luxury of spending unnecessary effort…for human kind to survive." Reynolds said.

The next day, Roy, Mikaze, Shizuha, Ayamo, and Karin were working at the Kouchin. It was a busy day and Roy finally had a job to do there. He was helping with taking orders and serving customers.

"Hi! Welcome, right this way!" Mikaze said to a few more customers as they walked in the door. Roy and Ms. Ron noticed and smiled at how happy Mikaze looked.

"Mikaze seems to be full of energy, huh grandma?" Ms. Ron asked the Restaurant owner.

"Wind direction is probably god to her." She said.

"Wind direction?" Ms. Ron asked. Roy stopped what he was doing and listened to Ms. Ron's grandmother, curious to what she had to say.

"Everything has a wind direction. When you ride with the wind everything will go well." She explained.

_"Wind direction huh? Sounds like something a pilot would say." _Roy thought.

"But if you make a mistake riding it, you'll flip over." She said as she finished preparing the next takeout order for transport.

"Takeout order is ready!" She called.

"OK!" Mikaze responded. Roy noticed Mikaze and looked in her direction as she went to get the takeout order. Roy looked at her with intrigue.

_ "I don't know why…but for some reason, I find her…very pleasant to look at. Was she always like this?" _Roy wondered.

Back on base, Tsubasa, Sora, Mr. Iwasaki, and Mr. Fujitani were having target practice. Mr. Iwasaki was lying in prone position and taking shots. After about ten shots he stopped for a moment.

"WOW!" Sora commented.

"Hey, you are a meteor sweeper right? Then you shouldn't be so surprised by this." Tsubasa said.

"Yean, you're really good with marksmanship, but they were all ten point shots!" Sora replied.

"Of course!" Mr. Iwasaki said as he got up.

"As you know, once we go up there, we can't afford to miss even a single shot." Mr. Iwasaki said

"That's right, a meteor sweeper is the last line of defense. If we miss, the ground will go BOOM eh? You two had better work on your aim and concentration." Mr. Fujitani said as he handed Tsubasa a rifle. Mikaze drove up on her delivery bike and stopped by them.

"Hey guys! Delivery from Kouchin!" Mikaze said.

"Oh yeah! Meal time." Mr. Fujitani said as he walked up to collect his food.

"Sorry, I left my wallet in my locker, put it on my tab." He said.

"What! Again!" Mikaze complained.

"Come on, I'm a good customer." Mr. Fujitani said playfully.

"Hey, Mikaze. Hang out with me, after you're done with work." Tsubasa said with a bit of a hostile tone.

Later in the day, Mikaze and Tsubasa were at the same target range in prone position with their rifles at the ready. Roy stood to the side to watch, Shizuha stood next to him, Ayamo next to Shizuha, Karin, texting as usual, next to Ayamo, and Sora next to Karin. Mr. Sako sat in a chair with binoculars.

"Oh man, why do I have to be the witness?" Sako asked. Mikaze made a few last second adjustments to her rifle and noticed Tsubasa shooting her a glare. Mikaze responded in kind.

"Now don't you two get the wrong idea, keep in mind this is training!" Mr. Sako reminded them. Tsubasa growled and Mikaze shifter her attention to the targets down range about 200 yards down range.

"This is a duel." Ayamo said.

"Gunslingers at sunset." Shizuha agreed. Roy looked back and fourth between Mikaze and Tsubasa with a troubled look.

_"Oh boy, something tells me this is not going to end good." _Roy thought.

"Well I handed the number 1 position to you, but you really should have been eliminated already, by the way you've been acting Mikaze." Tsubasa said as he fired a round.

"What do you mean? Why should I have to listen to you anyway, huh?" Mikaze asked as she fired a shot.

"You have no motivation, no guts, you're always daydreaming in class." Tsubasa said as he fired another shot. Roy shot a glare at Tsubasa and kept listening for what else was going to be said next.

"I don't want to hear that from someone who only thinks about girls!" Mikaze said. Roy nodded his head, agreeing with Mikaze.

"I do my best at what I need to do!" Tsubasa barked.

"Yeah right!" Roy whispered to himself. Ayamo and Shizuha looked at Roy with question but he didn't take his eyes off of Tsubasa.

"I take what I do seriously too!" Mikaze said.

"Then what's with your stack of pink cards!" Tsubasa asked. Mikaze looked surprised for a moment.

"That's in the past!" Mikaze said.

"Then I'll talk about the present, I'll show you my abilities are better than yours." Tsubasa said. Roy shook his head.

"Not with that cocky attitude of yours kid." Roy said quietly. Ayamo looked to Roy with surprise and Shizuha looked back and fourth between Tsubasa and Roy. Tsubasa heard and growled as he fired 3 shots in rapid succession in the 10-point area.

"I've dreamed of becoming a Comet Blaster and going into space ever since I was a kid, in order to do that, I've worked hard, studied, and gave up on a lot of other things, and I came this far! I don't want to be interfered with, by someone like you who just came here on a whim." Tsubasa said as he fired another shot. This shot landed dead center of the target.

"But his ultimate goal is to have women ALL OVER him." Sora said with an annoyed tone. Roy looked at Tsubasa with an annoyed skeptical look.

"Is that really his most important goal in life?" Roy asked.

"Sadly yes." Sore replied with a sigh. Ayamo continued to look even more curiously at Roy.

"So what? I want to go to outer space too! If I try, if I try I can do it!" Mikaze said as she fired her last shot.

"Well that's it for tonight, you guys head on to bed." Mr. Sako said as he left the area. Mikaze went over by Ayamo, Shizuha, and Karin while Roy walked up to Tsubasa. Tsubasa shot a glare at Roy just before they were about two feet apart, standing face to face. Roy stood quiet for a moment returning the glare to Tsubasa.

"What do you what!" Tsubasa finally asked.

"Why did you say those things to Mikaze?" Roy calmly asked. Shizuha, Ayamo, Karin, and most of all Mikaze looked to Roy with Surprise.

"It was all true! She's here because her family is a bunch of elites! She got in easy!" Tsubasa said. Roy concentrated his glare into a warning before speaking.

"She has it easy?" Roy asked.

"Yeah! She got in easily and she's going to have it easy because of her family!" Tsubasa said.

"You're wrong." Roy said coldly. Mikaze, Shizuha, and Ayamo looked shocked at what Roy had said.

"Oh yeah! How would YOU know! you're a combat pilot with a much easier job!" Tsubasa challenged.

"I would watch that tone of yours, kid, it's that kind of tone and attitude that gets people killed! And you think I have it easier! Think again! Watch what you say from now on!" Roy said coldly as he turned around and walked past Mikaze and the others. Tsubasa's glare hardened to almost a death glare.

The next morning, Mikaze left early to train with more target practice. Roy, Ayamo, Karin, and Shizuha were still back at Kouchin. Everyone was getting ready to leave except for Roy who was still asleep, suffering another nightmare.

"…INCOMING! INCOMING! SATHANAS JUGGERNAUTS! THEY'RE ABOUT TO ENTER THE ATMOSPHERE! RAKSHASA CRUISERS FOLLOWING CLOSE BEHIND! GTVA COMMAND PLEAASE SEND ASSISTANCE!" Roy yelled on the com link. Another jump signature appeared on his radar, allies.

"Alpha 1 we're here to assist, this is lieutenant commander Snipes! Moving in to attack the Juggernauts!" Snipes said. He moved in with a wing of Herc 2s to engage the Juggernauts. Another jump signature appeared right behind Roy. It was massive. Roy looked back to see another massive Juggernaut closing in on him fast.

"DIVE! DIVE! DIVE! HIT YOUR BURNERS PILOT!" Snipes yelled. Roy punched the afterburners and the Zeus rocketed ahead but the Sathanas was still moving faster. The Sathanas finally collided with Roy's Zeus and his hull integrity was dropping fast.

Just ahead of him, Roy saw the strange ship from in his other dreams.

"Please….help….me…." a voice said over the com channels. Roy caught a good look at the ship this time. It was a Pegasus class recon fighter. Roy looked at the hull integrity and it showed at 20% and dropping. He tried to eject but the system was fried.

"You….must change…." Before the voice had time to finish, the cockpit of Roy's Zeus filled up with fire and the Zeus exploded.

"GAAAAAAAHH!" Roy screamed as he shot forward in the bed. Shizuha, Ayamo, Karin, and Ms. Ron all went up to see Roy sitting there, panting heavily and with an expression of horror on his face.

"ROY WHAT'S WRONG!" Shizuha yelled as she and Ms. Ron quickly got down next to him. they both placed a hand on his shoulders to try and comfort him. Roy still sat panting heavily as the vivid images from his last nightmare replayed over and over again in his head. Roy finally closed his eyes in attempt to shut out the images.

"It's just a dream." Roy said quietly. Shizuha, Ms. Ron and even Ayamo looked concerned for him.

"It's just a dream…gotta get a hold of myself." Roy said. He held his head and started getting to a normal breathing pace.

"When am I going to stop having these nightmares?" Roy asked.

"What happened?" Shizuha asked. Roy looked to her and sat quiet for a moment. He wanted to tell her but he couldn't without explanation.

"It's a long story…you wouldn't believe the reasons for them anyway." Roy said.

"Come on, you can tell us." Ms. Ron said.

"You wouldn't believe it…because I'm still having a hard time believing it." Roy said. Ayamo, Shizuha, and Ms. Ron were confused. Roy stood up and went for the bathroom. Once inside, he splashed some water on his face and stared at himself in the mirror.

_"How can I tell them? I already blurted it out in front of the commanders. That probably wasn't the best choice. But how do I go about telling the people here that I'm not from this time? How do I tell them that I'm from 300 years into the future?" _Roy wondered.

"That's not something you bring up in a conversation." Roy said quietly.

"What isn't-" "AAAAAHH!" Roy screamed as he backed into the wall behind him. Shizuha jumped a bit but Roy back dashed into the wall holding his hand on his heart.

"DON'T DO THAT! YOU NEARLY GAVE ME A HEART ATTACK!" Roy yelled.

"Sorry, the door was open and I heard you talking." Shizuha said. Roy caught his breath again and went out of the bathroom and headed downstairs with Shizuha.

Later at the base, Mikaze had fired many shots. Mr. Sako yawned in his chair as he watched Mikaze train.

"So why is it always me?" He asked. Shizuha ran up to them.

"Mikaze, you'd better get changed, we're about to enter into alert mode." Shizuha said.

"Oh! That's right! Hold on a sec!" Mikaze said as she went to fill out the paperwork for the training. Shizuha looked to see the number of round casings there were next to the rifle.

"Could that be?" Shizuha asked.

"Certainly is! Do you have any idea what its like to be forced out here since sunrise?" Sako complained.

"Mr. Sako, a student voluntarily requested training! As an instructor you should be happy about it!" Mikaze said.

"Were you this much of a sore loser?" Shizuha asked.

"There are times I don't want to lose!" Mikaze said. Tsubasa happened to walk by and heard Mikaze. He stopped and glared in her general direction before running into Roy who had a cautious look about him. Roy and Tsubasa walked past each other without saying a word.

In the control tower, Ms. Kisaragi stood at attention as the air raid sirens started sounding. "12:30 Hours! As of now, our Shimoji Island base will enter alert mode!" Ms. Kisaragi said.

In the ready room, Mikaze donned her gear and had a determined look on her face.

In one of the hangars nearby, Roy managed to sneak in and get into his Zeus and retrieve some of his belongings, such as the text books from his old classes and his video logs. He returned to the runway and started looking through his books.

_"I know I read something about this in here." _Roy thought. As he flipped through the pages of his books, he didn't notice Tsubasa off to the side glaring at him.

_"What's he up to!" _Sora wondered.

Mikaze, Karin, Shizuha, and Ayamo all stood outside the MS craft hangar with Mr. Sako.

"I heard there's a high probability of a fall today. Think you gals can handle it?" Mr. Sako asked.

"Of course we can!" Ayamo said confidently.

"Just leave it to us! We'll take care of it!" Mikaze agreed. She started for the MS craft when she noticed Tsubasa glaring at Roy and then her. Mikaze looked to him and stuck her tongue at him.

Roy was reading a particular section of the textbook intensely.

"…After the comet changed course, Pilot Candidate: Mikaze Honjyo disobeyed orders and fired her trident missile which missed the core and caused a meteor to fall to earth…" He read. He closed the book and ran over to the girls.

"Mikaze!" Roy said. Mikaze turned around to see him.

"What is it? We're getting ready to launch." Mikaze asked.

"Mikaze this might sound weird but I don't have the necessary information to explain. I just need you to listen, when you go up, don't fire." Roy said. Mikaze, Shizuha, and Ayamo looked to Roy with confusion and surprise in their eyes.

"Don't fire? Why not? That comet will plummet to earth if I don't." Mikaze asked.

"Just trust me on this." Roy said. Mikaze, Ayamo, and Shizuha looked at him carefully.

"Trust me!" Roy said with a firm tone. Mikaze nodded and got into the cockpit of the MS craft and got ready to takeoff at any time.

"Orbital calculations?" Kisaragi asked.

"Received. One of the fragments after passing our intercept area, will drop on Ogasawara Archipelago. It will enter our intercept area in 21 minutes!" The traffic controller reported.

"SCRAMBLE! MS 1, MS 2, ENGAGE!" Kisaragi ordered. Roy had just entered the command room where he saw Sub-commander Kisaragi and Commander Reynolds as well as the traffic controller.

"Don't let her fire!" Roy said. Kisaragi, Reynolds and the traffic controller looked to Roy with question.

"Don't let Mikaze fire that missile!" Roy said as he walked up to the traffic controller.

"Why not?" Kisaragi asked.

"Because if she does, her missile won't hit the core of that comet!" Roy said.

"And you know this because…you know about it from the future?" Kisaragi asked carefully.

"As hard as it is to believe, yes!" Roy replied.

"Commander!" Kisaragi said. Reynolds looked to Roy and then to Kisaragi and nodded. Kisaragi nodded back and got back to conducting the operation.

"Aren't you going to stop her? The comet will change course!" Roy said.

"We're going to see how things go for now!" Kisaragi said.

"Its us!" Mikaze said.

"Here we go!" Ayamo replied. Mikaze and the other girls continued to think about what Roy said: _"…don't fire this time Mikaze, just trust me on this…"_

"Sashiba 11 ready to launch!" Mikaze said.

"Sashiba 22 ready to launch!" Ayamo followed.

"Launch pad clear!" Mr. Sako said.

"Sashiba 11, Sashiba 22, clear for launch!" The traffic controller said.

"Roger, clear for launch! Sashiba 11!" Mikaze confirmed.

"Roger, Sashiba 22!" Ayamo said.

"BLASTOFF!" Mikaze yelled as she fired the engines of her MS craft. Both craft took off from the ZELL trucks and soared into the sky at high speed.

Roy stood in the command room focused completely on the radar.

Both craft quickly climbed to 40,000 feet.

"40,000 feet reached, booster burnout." Karin said.

"BOOSTER SEPARATION!" Mikaze yelled. She couldn't shake the thought of Roy's words. They replayed over and over again in her head.

"Turn over!" Mikaze said as she banked the plane 180 degrees.

"Sashiba 11, Sashiba 22, both on course! Ascending on heading of 090." The traffic controller reported. Kisaragi looked back to the sky but then to Roy who was focused 100% on the radar.

"Don't fire that missile Mikaze, don't fire the missile." Roy said quietly. The traffic controller looked to Roy.

_"He said to change something…I hope this is it." _Roy thought.

"Number 3 engine, ignition in five seconds." Karin reported.

"4, 3, 2, 1." She said.

"IGNITION!" Mikaze yelled. Just like last time, the number 3 engine roared to life and spat out its jet of flame out the back. They drew even closer to the burning comet. Karin could see it and fear started to show in her eyes.

In the control tower, the traffic controller's eyes shot open and she looked to Kisaragi.

"What! What's wrong!" Kisaragi asked.

"The comets' course has changed!" The traffic controller reported. Kisaragi was shocked at the news but Roy still had the same intense expression as before. Kisaragi noticed this and looked curiously at Roy.

_"Maybe he really is from the future!" _Kisaragi thought. She went over to the radar to see how things looked from there and to see what Roy was so focused on.

"Wh-WHAT THE!" Mikaze blurted.

"The target's orbital path has changed!" Shizuha reported.

"Impossible! Targets a COMET!" Ayamo said. It took her a moment but Ayamo finally realized that Roy knew what was going to happen.

"SHIZUHA! HE KNEW!" Ayamo said.

"What!" Shizuha asked.

"Roy knew that the comet would change course! That's why he told Mikaze not to fire!" Ayamo said. Shizuha sat quiet, unable to react to what she just heard. In craft 1, Karin started breathing hard. The fear in her eyes started to deepen.

"With the new co-ordinates, it looks like Sashiba 22 in the rear has a better attack position than Sashiba 11 in the front! Better get on it!" Kisaragi ordered. She looked to Roy. Roy noticed Kisaragi looking at him out of the corner of his eye and turned to her.

"You…really were telling the truth, weren't you?" Kisaragi asked. Roy stayed quiet for a moment before speaking.

"Every word." He said as he looked back at the radar screen.

"Sashiba 11, stand down! Sashiba 22, go into attack position instead!" The traffic controller ordered. Mikaze was bewildered at what was going on, as were Ayamo and Shizuha. Mikaze thought about what was going on and remembered what Tsubasa had said to her the other night and refocused her determination on her mission.

"NO! I can still shoot from my position!" Mikaze said.

"Give it up, Mikaze! We can handle it from here!" Ayamo said.

"I'm going to shoot! I'm going to shoot! I can do it!" Mikaze said.

"She can't!" Kisaragi said. Roy pulled the headset off of the traffic controller and put in on.

"MIKAZE DON'T FIRE!" Roy yelled. Mikaze was surprised to hear him.

"Mikaze trust me! If you fire the missile won't hit the core!" Roy said.

"Mikaze don't try to do too much! Leave it to me! Mikaze?" Ayamo responded.

"Mikaze?" Karin asked.

"Don't worry it'll be all right!" Mikaze reassured.

"MIKAZE STAND DOWN! THAT'S AN ORDER!" Roy yelled.

"Launch in five seconds." Karin said.

"I can do it!" Mikaze insisted.

"3, 2, 1." Karin said. the comet entered the center of the targeting HUD but just left out the other side of it. Mikaze's eyes shot open and she pressed the missile launch button.

"No!" Karin said, but it was too late. The trident missile launched and flew straight for the oncoming meteor. Ayamo's eyes shot open and she refocused on her side of the mission.

"3, 2, 1." Shizuha said.

"FOX 1!" Ayamo yelled. Her missile trailed close behind the missile from MS 1.

Missiles have been fired from both planes!" The traffic controller said.

"The course!" Kisaragi asked.

"Well that's…" the traffic controller responded nervously. Roy slammed his fists on the desk.

"DAMMIT! MIKAZE YOU IDIOT!" Roy said in anger. He then remembered the things Tsubasa said to her the night before and then Roy clenched his teeth.

"Tsubasa!" Roy growled. Kisaragi, Reynolds, and the traffic controller looked at Roy with question.

"Turn and fall back!" Shizuha said. Both planes changed course for the return trip. The head of the warhead split and revealed the three explosives inside the main shell. Karin watched fearfully as the missile heads closed in on the comet. Both warheads exploded and engulfed the comet in a massive fireball.

"We hit it! Right!" Mikaze asked. Mikaze gasped at what she saw next. Everything seemed to slow down for her at this moment. She could see a large fragment of the comet fly out of the explosion and fall straight for earth.

"WHA- WHAT'S THAT!" She screamed. Mikaze watched in fear as the meteor fragment speed towards earth.

"What was that!" Mikaze asked. She saw a somewhat close glimpse of the fragment and saw that it was an oddly shaped meteor.

"That was…a meteorite?" Mikaze asked. The meteor hit the ground below and resulted in a large explosion.

"It fell!" Shizuha said.

"OH NO!" Mikaze screamed.

Later, after they had landed, Roy was in the classroom with the other students ready to talk to Tsubasa. He heard everything that happened on the news and was in total shock.

"Oh! She really blew it man!" Tsubasa said. Roy's eyes shot wide open and he ran over to Tsubasa, grabbed him by the shirt, and pulled him outside onto the runway.

"HEY WHAT'S YOUR PROBLEM MAN!" Tsubasa yelled, Sora and the other students went out after them to see what was going on.

"YOU ARE MY PROBLEM! IF YOU HADN'T SAID THOSE NASTY THINGS TO MIKAZE YESTERDAY, THIS WOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED!" Roy yelled.

"HEY! SHE DID THIS HERSELF! I DIDN'T FIRE THAT MISSILE!" Tsubasa said trying to defend himself. The other classmen watched intently, wondering what was going to happen.

Up in the control tower, Kisaragi, Reynolds, the traffic controller, and the other instructors watched the news as well. Mr. Iwasaki turned off the TV.

"It was hit but missed the core." He said.

"So it wasn't destroyed completely." Kisaragi said.

"This is going to get troublesome." Mr. Iwasaki said.

"Yes…" Kisaragi agreed.

Out on the runway, Mikaze was getting out of her craft when Ayamo ran up to it.

"Why did you fire!" Ayamo demanded. Mikaze looked to her.

"You had direct orders to stand down!" Ayamo said.

"But…but I knew I had the shot…ordinarily it would have hit for sure!" Mikaze replied. Ayamo was quiet for a moment and then slapped Mikaze. Mikaze returned a glare at Ayamo.

"Stop it! Both of you!" Shizuha said. she was about to ask Karin something but noticed Roy and Tsubasa out of the corner of her eye.

"IT MAY HAVE BEEN A CHOICE SHE MADE ON HER OWN! BUT SHE WOULDN'T HAVE FELT LIKE SHE HAD TO DO SO MUCH IF YOU HADN'T EGGED HER ON LIKE YOU DID!" Roy yelled.

"I SAID THAT FOR A REASON!" Tsubasa yelled back. Mikaze, Shizuha and Ayamo all looked to see Roy and Tsubasa.

"OH! WHAT REASON WOULD THAT BE! THE ONLY RESULT I SEE THAT CAME OUT OF THIS WAS PEOPLES HOMES DESTROYED! IS THAT WHAT YOU WANTED!" Roy yelled.

"OF COURSE NOT! I WANTED MIKAZE TO EITHER GET MOTIVATED AND APPRECIATE HOW EASY SHE HAS IT OR LEAVE!" Tsubasa said.

"Don't you dare talk to me about who has it easy or not you cocky little RAT!" Roy began.

"I GOT TO BEING A PILOT EASY! BUT GUESS WHAT! IN MY LIFE AS A COMBAT PILOT! ITS STAYING ALIVE THAT'S HARD! AND IT'S JUST LIKE THAT FOR MIKAZE! SO DON'T YOU DARE START JUDGING ANYONE!" Roy yelled as he grabbed Tsubasa by the shirt and raised his right arm to throw a punch.

"I really should deck you one in the face right now!" Roy said.

"THEN DO IT! IT WILL ONLY PROVE ONE THING!" Tsubasa challenged. Roy thought for a moment and then lowered his fist.

"No…I won't stoop to your level. I know my enemy! You should know what yours is!" Roy said as he turned around and started walking away.

"Know who my enemy is! You think I don't know that! And how could being a combat pilot be harder than meteor interception! You don't have it anywhere near as hard as us interceptors!" Tsubasa said. Roy stopped in his tracks and his face tensed. You could see the fire in Roy's eyes as he remembered his fierce battles and how many people he had seen die.

"So is that it! You don't have anything else to say and you're just running away!" Tsubasa asked in a harsh tone. Roy turned around really fast and brought his fist up.

"THE HELL I AM!" Roy yelled as he punched Tsubasa square in the cheek. The punch was so hard that Tsubasa fell to the ground holding his hand to his cheek. He shot a glare to Roy and Roy continued his glare at Tsubasa.

"Think about this moment! Remember it well! Think long and hard before you EVER say anything like that again!" Roy said as he stepped closer and brought Tsubasa to his feet.

"You have no idea the kinds of horrors I've experienced as a combat pilot! Before you say something like that again, try going through what I did!" Roy said as he turned around and headed for the road to Kouchin. He passed Mikaze's MS craft and the three girls noticed a tear roll down Roy's cheek.

_"He did all of that…for Mikaze? And what happened to him? He looks so sad now." _Ayamo thought. Shizuha looked back to the cockpit.

"Karin, why didn't you- Karin? KARIN!" Shizuha yelled. Mikaze and Ayamo looked back to see Karin passed out in the cockpit.

Back at Kouchin, Roy walked in through the front door and headed for the stairs without saying a word. Ms. Ron and the restaurant owner looked at him wondering what had been bothering him. Mikaze, Ayamo, and Shizuha walked in behind him and looked concerned for him.

"Did something happen?" Ms. Ron asked after Roy went upstairs.

"Well…there was a fight." Shizuha said. Ms. Ron clasped her hand over her mouth in surprise and looked in Roy's direction.

"Not that kind of fight but…I think one of the other pilots said something that upset him." Shizuha said. Everyone looked in Roy's direction before the girls headed upstairs. When they made it up, they found him sitting outside on the balcony, sitting with his head in his arms.

"…Nobody knows…what I've been through…" Roy said in almost a whisper. Ayamo went back to her room but Mikaze and Shizuha stayed and worried for Roy.

_"No one knows…how I lost them…" _Roy thought.

* * *

End of chapter 4

* * *

**The attempt at changing the future was a fail. The meteor fragment that was supposed to be destroyed in Roy's attempt to change the event still plummeted to earth and resulting in destroying a town on an island. Roy seems to be troubled by a memory from his time during the Shivan war. Find out what happens next in Flight 5: Hidden secrets!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Previously, Mikaze was taunted to the point that she tried to do the impossible, Roy found a key moment in the current time and tried to change it, Mikaze disobeyed orders and the attempt at changing the event was a failure, Roy has been reminded of a particular event in his life that torments him. Will Roy be able to make a change in the future? And if he does, how will it affect the Terran Vasuden war? And what will now happen to Mikaze for disobeying orders?

* * *

**

Flight 5: Hidden Secrets!

* * *

Roy was at the base, looking out to sea from the hangar where Mr. Sako works on the dismantled aircraft. He was sitting on the ground with his back to the outer wall, his face filled with sadness. Mikaze was also at the hangar but in the jet piece that she used as a parasol. She also looked sad, remembering the events from the day prior.

Roy couldn't stop thinking about the conversation he had with Tsubasa and the memory it brought up. He also couldn't stop thinking about the nightmare he had that night. It continued to play in his head over and over again.

"GTVA COMMAND! THE STATION IS UNDER ATTACK! THE SHIVANS HAVE RETURNED!" Yelled one of the station members. Roy looked much younger, about five years old. His mother ran over and picked him up. She started running through the halls of the station, explosions everywhere. She put Roy in a small room and closed the door with him in it.

"MOM!" Roy called out. His mother pressed a switch next to the outside and there was another explosion right behind her. She fell below the viewpoint of the window but her hand came up and pressed another button. All Roy could see was the room his mom was in shrink very fast as well as a long tunnel that eventually showed him the outside of the arcadia station.

He saw the many red and black ships attacking the station. The Shivans eventually destroyed the arcadia instillation and there was nothing left of it.

"MOOOOM!" Roy called out. But there was no answer.

A tear ran down his cheek as he continued to look out to sea from the hangar. He got up and started to walk back to Kouchin when Mr. Sako came into the hangar.

"HEY!" He yelled. Mikaze looked up to see him.

"What do you think you're doing sneaking in here all the time? This isn't your personal sanctuary! If you're going to be depressed, go elsewhere!" Sako demanded. Mikaze looked back down a bit and got off the engine part.

"Sorry to have bothered you." Mikaze said as she walked past him. Roy looked back at the depressed Mikaze.

_"We're both feeling bad…but at least she can say that she has family." _Roy thought.

"If you feel bad you should apologize, your real friends will always forgive you in the end." Sako said. Mikaze turned around to see him. He fixed his hat and went to work on the craft. Roy stood by and waited for Mikaze.

"…Thanks Mr. Sako." Mikaze said.

"Mikaze Honjyo, Roy Lancer, there is an urgent message from headquarters, please come to the commanders office immediately." The traffic controller announced over the loudspeakers.

In the Shimoji island hospital, Ayamo sat in the chair next to Karin, who was still unconscious. Ayamo was worried for her and thinking about the things that happened the day before.

_"Mikaze made a big mistake…but Roy acting in her defense like that…maybe he is a good person after all. But Mikaze, dammit Mikaze!" _Ayamo thought. Shizuha walked in and Ayamo looked up to see her.

"How was it?" Ayamo asked.

"Just now there was an official word from headquarters. Mikaze and Roy have been summoned by the Okinawa inquiry committee." Shizuha said.

"What do you think? Should we go with them?" Shizuha asked.

"Its not our problem! That self centered girl!" Ayamo replied.

"Ayamo! Even if you have feelings like that, what about Roy?" Shizuha asked. Ayamo stayed Quiet and she and Shizuha both looked to Karin.

Later that morning, Mikaze and Roy both got their stuff ready and headed out from the Kouchin to the Shimoji Island base.

"Have they left?" The restaurant owner asked. Ms. Ron, who was watching as Mikaze and Roy leave, turned to see her.

"They have reached a fork in the road of their lives, those kids. No matter how many paths there are, only they can choose to continue or give up. All we can do…is welcome them b." Sack as though nothing has changed at all." She said.

"Yes…" Ms. Ron agreed.

Mikaze and Roy got to their transport plane and boarded. Mikaze stopped at the cabin and saluted.

"Mikaze Honjyo, reporting for- huh?" She saw that the pilots were Mr. Iwasaki and Mr. Fujitani.

"Mr. Fujitani? Mr. Iwasaki too?" Mikaze asked.

"We just happened to get the shift." Mr. Iwasaki said.

"No need to thank us, we're just using this detail to go party it up on the main island." Mr. Fujitani said.

"Mr. Iwasaki…" Mikaze said.

"Hey! Better get to your seats, it's getting late!" Sora called. Mikaze and Roy looked back to see Sora and Tsubasa standing there. Roy looked at Tsubasa but not a glare, he just looked at him for a moment and went to his seat on the plane. Tsubasa seemed confused and then focused his attention to Mikaze.

"Uhh, bring me the latest edition of GQ! Don't forget it!" Tsubasa called. Mikaze smiled a bit.

"Go get some fine scolding!" Tsubasa said. Mikaze went into the plane and sat in the seat next to Roy, who was looking out the window with the same expression he had since the morning. He seemed focused on nothing in particular. Even as the plane took off, his eyes didn't move.

Mikaze noticed how sad Roy looked and placed her hand on his shoulder.

"What's wrong?" She asked. Roy sat quiet for a moment.

"…Yesterday…when I had that fight with Tsubasa…it brought up a horrible memory…" Roy said. Mikaze listened quietly.

"I don't have a family…" Roy said. Mikaze looked surprised and then reached her arm around Roy.

"I lost my entire family when I was very young…and I couldn't do anything to save them." Roy explained. Mikaze laid her head on his chest and Roy placed his arm around Mikaze.

"…But this isn't the time for that. We're on our way to see the inquiry board, so I need to tell you something." Roy began. Mikaze sat back up in her seat and listened.

"When we go in there, it's basically going to be an interrogation. They'll say it isn't but it really is. I've been in one of these before and I know how they do things." Roy explained.

"Whatever you do, don't tell them anything but the truth of what happened in the last mission. Don't say anything relating to me, don't say anything relating to anyone else or anything else but the mission." Roy instructed.

"Of course I'll only stay on the topic of the mission." Mikaze said.

"I'm just telling you because…they'll try and steer the topic in other directions. If they manage to do that, it will be bad for us. Be extra careful what you say in there." Roy said as he looked to her.

"I need you to trust me on this." Roy said. Mikaze nodded.

A few hours later, through a long flight and drive, Mikaze and Roy made it to the board of inquiry of Okinawa.

"I'm Mikaze Honjyo of the Shimoji island base. And this is…" Mikaze stopped as she looked to Roy. He looked to Mikaze with a sharp but reassuring look. Mikaze looked back to the man in front of them.

"This is the new member at Shimoji Island." Mikaze said. The man led them down the halls to Inquiry room 3, where he stopped them at the door.

"Pilot Honjyo of the Shimoji Island base has arrived along with the new Shimoji Island member." He said. Roy remained quiet since they entered the building. He held his sharp look as the doors opened.

When the doors opened all the way, Mikaze and Roy saw a desk with three other men behind it and two chairs in about the middle of the inquiry room. The windows let in a lot of light into the room, enough that it was difficult to see the faces of the men behind the desk.

"Come in!" One of them abruptly said.

"Yes sir!" Mikaze responded. Roy still remained quiet but followed Mikaze into the room. They stopped behind the chairs and Mikaze saluted.

"Mikaze Honjyo, pilot of the Shimoji Island interception base sir!" Mikaze said nervously.

"No need to be nervous, as you know you're not a criminal." One of the men said.

"What do you two think of Okinawa? Isn't it more urban compared to Shimoji Island?" Another man asked.

"We only want a detailed explanation of this incident. As you are well aware, our organization is not the military. This inquiry board is not a court marshal." Another of the men explained.

"In other words, it's just a meeting, so you don't have to say anything that may cause you inconvenience. And you don't have to be so quiet there, son." The man on the far left said, gesturing to Roy. Roy remained silent.

"Do you wish to have an attorney present?" the man on the far right asked. Mikaze looked scared at the situation. Roy looked to Mikaze.

"_Be careful Mikaze, I don't plan on talking to them. But if I have to I will."_ Roy thought.

Back at Shimoji Island, Tsubasa and Sora went to the Instructors room to see Ms. Kisaragi.

"Rather unusual for you two to visit the faculty room. Did you come by to confess some big mistake?" Ms. Kisaragi asked.

"What!" Sora blurted.

"No way! We haven't done anything!" Tsubasa responded.

"Ok then, what is it?" Ms. Kisaragi asked.

"W-well- uh, Mr. Iwasaki and Mr. Fujitani won't tell us anything until after returning so we were wondering if-" Sora was cut off when Kisaragi adjusted herself to respond

"Hmm so that's it, I'm sorry but I have no comment on that." Kisaragi said.

"What? Why not?" Sora asked.

"It's true we're not soldiers, but as you know, we're not playing games here either. As long as we have duties assigned to us, we must obey the rules. Although we are comrades in arms, if you break the rules, you must take responsibility for your actions and accept some kind of punishment. That's what it means to be an adult." Kisaragi said. The phone rang and Kisaragi answered it.

"Hello? Shimoji Island base…yes sir, of course…yes sir this is Kisaragi speaking…yes sir…yes sir…uh? Whiteness summons? Understood sir…I'll take care of it." Ms. Kisaragi said as she hung up the phone. She looked troubled.

Back at the inquiry board, the interrogation continued.

"So…you ignored orders from your superiors, and acted on your own to fire the missile." One of the men said.

"Is that what really happened?" another man asked. Roy and Mikaze looked to him with question.

"You're very young and haven't had much experience, it's hard to believe you would make such a decision on your own." He said.

"We're aware of rumors of pilots who ignore orders and make bets on who can achieve the highest altitude." He said.

"Did you lose such a bet and have to pay some sort of penalty for it? for example it could have been orders from your commander?" The man on the far right suggested. Mikaze and Roy looked at him confused.

"_What are these people getting at? I never read anything about this in my classes. This doesn't seem even remotely like the interrogations I've been through. We'd better be extra careful. I really don't like this." _Roy thought.

"Our job is to maintain order in the cosmic emergency agency. Having pilots who do whatever they please will compromise discipline." Another man said.

"Being a young pilot is a glamorous job, I can understand the need to kick up your heals." He said.

"But this is serious business, you understand, don't you? Have you ever considered how much money has been invested in you?" Another man asked.

"And you!" he said to Roy.

"Who are you and when did you get to Shimoji Island!" He demanded. Roy remained quiet and only answered them with a stare.

"Ah a quiet one eh? All we need to know is your background. There's nothing to hide that would…cause you trouble if it got out, is there?" Another man asked. Roy continued to stay quiet for a few more moments.

"I don't answer to you." Roy said coldly. Mikaze looked to Roy with shock at what he said. The three men tensed their faces.

"There's no need for such defense there, son. Is your background really that sensitive?" the man asked. Roy continued to stay quiet.

"Take him to the inquiry room next door." One of the other men said to the guard outside. The guard came in and took Roy by the arm and forced him out of his chair. Roy quickly got to his feet and shot a glare at the guard and then looked to Mikaze with a nod.

The guard took him out of the room and closed the door back. Mikaze watched as the door closed with worry on her face.

"This incident, couldn't have been your decision, so why don't you just tell us who gave you the order?" The man asked.

"According to the reports, it appears your navigator experienced ill health. Does that have anything to do with it!" Another man asked.

"NO IT DOESN'T! EVERYTHING WAS MY DECISION! I DIDN'T RECEIVE ORDERS FROM ANYONE!" Mikaze yelled. They were all quiet for a moment when they heard the sound of impacts through the wall on the side of the room.

"AH! UMF! GAAH! UHUAAH!" Roy screamed from the other room. Mikaze jumped at the sound and looked at the wall the noises seemed to be coming from with fear in her eyes.

"Let's uh, wrap up for today." One man said.

"You must be tired, we have a nice hotel room nearby for you and your friend, why don't you two get some rest?" the man on the other side of the desk asked.

Later, the three men were going over the recordings from the last interception and held up a clipboard with some documents and a picture of Karin.

"How much do they know? And just who is that guy? How he know about the comet before it changed course?" One of the men asked.

In the hotel room, Mikaze helped Roy to the bed and slumped on the bed herself. Roy was covered in bruises.

"What was that all about?" Mikaze asked. Roy looked down to her.

"I don't know. That sure wasn't like anything I had experienced." Roy said.

"And what happened to you!" Mikaze asked as she sat up next to Roy.

"…They tried to beat my background out of me." Roy said hesitantly. Mikaze clasped her hands over her mouth in shock.

"Why did-" Mikaze stopped when she heard voices outside of the door. She went over to crack open the door slightly to see who was there.

"Do they need to go that far for one little girl and her friend?" A woman asked from outside.

"Well yes. Huh?" the guy said as he looked in Mikaze's direction. Mikaze slowly closed the door and looked to Roy with Question. Roy pointed to the camera in the upper corner of the room. Mikaze quickly ran up to the camera.

"Peaking on me changing my cloths!" She said as she covered the lens with a towel. The two people outside ran to the door and knocked.

"What's the matter! Open immediately!" the women ordered.

"I just want to change! Why don't you leave me alone!" Mikaze responded. Roy sat on the bed with a troubled look.

"All right, when you're done changing, take the towel off the camera." The women said. Mikaze turned towards the bed and slammed her fists on it.

"I CAN'T TAKE THIS!" She shrieked as tears filled her eyes. Roy instantly got off the bed and grabbed Mikaze by the shoulders, he bumped the remote and the TV turned on.

"MIKAZE! You need to stay calm as best as you can! I can help you in this but you need to trust me!" Roy said. Mikaze looked up at Roy.

"Can you trust me this time?" Roy asked. Mikaze nodded and Roy pulled her into a hug. Mikaze returned the hug and started crying.

"Don't worry Mikaze, we'll be fine. We'll be back at Shimoji Island with everyone else soon." Roy reassured. He held her close and they sat on the bed side by side.

"_What have I gotten into?" _Roy wondered.

"_Whatever happens, I can't let any of my background get out to anyone here. It's too dangerous. They can't know about the Shivans, the Vasudens, nothing from my time. The only people that can know are the commanders of Shimoji island, Mikaze, Ayamo, Shizuha, and Karin…I still need to tell them." _Roy thought.

The next day, back in the inquiry room, Mikaze sat by herself this time, having to suffer the sounds of Roy's interrogation from the room next door.

"Be honest! And tell the truth!" One of the men said. Mikaze sat quiet for a moment before speaking.

"It's true…I'm not hiding…anything!" Mikaze said. She flinched from hearing Roy grunt and groan in pain.

"Was the missile really aimed properly? Maybe it wasn't really locked on?" The man on the left of the desk asked.

"I TOLD YOU TO TELL US WHERE YOU'RE FROM!" A voice yelled harshly from the other room. There was the soind of another impact.

"GAAAHAAAAAA!" Roy cried in pain. Mikaze flinched again.

"WHAT ARE YOU HIDING!" The voice yelled. There was another impact.

"AAAAAHHHHH!" Roy cried in pain again. Mikaze flinched again and looked at the wall separating her from Roy.

_"Hold on. Please hold on Roy!" _Mikaze thought. She refocused her attention back to the three men in front of her.

"No sir…everything was done by the book." Mikaze said.

"Then why did the missile miss the core?" another man asked.

"Because I ignored the process and forced the missile to launch late." Mikaze said.

"Could you tell us what kind of conversations you have with others on the base?" another man asked.

"What kind?" Mikaze asked, confused.

"What do you think of outer space?" another man asked. Mikaze looked up to him in surprise.

"Perhaps you have some special interest?" He suggested.

"I don't understand what you're getting at." Mikaze said.

"Before going on the mission did you happen to take any pills? An emotional stabilizer of a…stimulator?" another man asked. Mikaze shook her head and sat quiet for a few hours, still suffering the noises from the other room.

"What a stubborn little girl you are." One of the men commented.

"Listen Ms. Honjyo, we know how you can think of your comrades as important but we want to know the truth and nothing but the truth. You can ease your friends' misery if you do so. Won't you just tell us what really happened?" Another man asked referring to Roy.

"Everything I've said is the truth! WHY WON'T YOU BELIEVE ME! WHAT IS IT THAT YOU ALL WANT TO HEAR FROM ME EXACTLY!" Mikaze demanded.

"This is a place to have grownup conversation! Not a school's homeroom." Another man said.

"I'm well aware of that!" Mikaze replied.

"Hmm your parents are both airline pilots, aren't they? That's right, the elder sister as well." another man said.

"Wh-what do you want with my family!" Mikaze asked. The men behind the desk laughed for a moment.

"We're not trying to scare you, I just thought it would be a shame to have a blemish on such a fabulous family's reputation." Another man said.

"MY FAMILY HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS! NEITHER DOES ANYONE FROM ON BASE! I BARE ALL THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS PARTICULAR INCIDENT!" Mikaze yelled. Mikaze and the three men exchanged glares towards each other for a moment before the only other person in the room walked up to the man in the center.

"The two whiteness's have arrived." He whispered.

"That will be all for today! You may go." The man in center of the desk said. Mikaze walked out of the room where she met the man escorting her to her room. They waited for a few seconds before a man from the second room opened the door and out stumbled a badly bruised up Roy.

Mikaze ran over to him and helped him up. With his arm over her shoulder, Mikaze helped Roy follow the man leading them back to their room. This time, Roy had a black eye, a busted lip, more bruises than last time and was holding his side where he had the fractured ribs. His expression was mostly the same but with hints of pain.

About halfway down the hall, Mikaze noticed another man walk passed them with Shizuha and Ayamo close behind. The three girls seemed surprised to see each other there but Ayamo and Shizuha had a reaction of pure shock when they saw Roy.

Despite their reaction, they didn't say a word to Mikaze or Roy, or even look at them when they passed. Mikaze stopped and turned to see them.

"They're whiteness's, to preserve impartiality, you can't speak to them until the inquiry is finished.

Back at the hotel room later that night, Roy was lying on the bed and still holding his ribs. Mikaze sat on the floor with her back against the bed while watching the news. She was flipping through the channels until she saw the Comet Blasters on TV. Roy sat up to see what was on.

The news was talking about the Comet Blasters staying at the same hotel that Mikaze and Roy were at. Mikaze looked out the window and saw the same building just outside that she saw on TV. She looked to Roy who was watching the TV.

Just outside the Inquiry board building, Ayamo and Shizuha had just left and were on their way to the hotel.

"What's with those creeps!" Ayamo demanded.

"I felt the Inquirers wanted to steer the topic in another direction all together. They persistently asked questions about Karin, didn't they?" Shizuha asked.

"They sure did! Acted like decent people, but seemed to have cold hearts. Typical politicians." Ayamo said.

"And did you see how Roy looked when coming out of the inquiry room?" Shizuha asked.

"Yeah, apparently Roy either ticked them off or there's something they wanted to know from him. Although I'm sure he did something stupid to tick them off." Ayamo said.

"I don't know…I hope he's ok. And do you think Mikaze will be ok as well?" Shizuha asked.

"HURRY! WE HAVE TO GET GOOD SEATS!" someone yelled from across the street. It was a group of people heading for the concert hall nearby.

"Yeah! I've GOT to see the Come-Bla- Live!" someone from the same group yelled.

"Is Come-Bla-" Ayamo asked.

"Comet Blaster?" Shizuha agreed.

Mikaze was able to use the bed sheets to rappel down the side of the building. Roy followed shortly behind but had a hard time.

"Be careful!" Mikaze whispered.

"I'll be ok." Roy reassured.

At the concert hall, there were a lot of people filling the audience space. The Comet Blaster pilots and their commander sat at a table on the stage.

"Everyone, we have limited time so please be quiet." The announcer said on stage.

"To start off, we'll ask questions to Commander Miharu Ohzora." He said. Roy stood next to Mikaze, having a hard time standing up. Mikaze noticed and placed her arm around him and moved close to his ear.

"Hold your arm around me." She whispered. Roy looked to Mikaze with question.

"Make it look like I'm your girlfriend and hold your arm around my shoulder. You can stand easier like this without people getting the wrong idea." Mikaze whispered. Roy nodded and held his arm around her.

"Commander, what is the purpose of your visit to Okinawa this time?" The announcer asked.

"For the pilots to recuperate and have their periodic physical exams. Over extended stay in outer space has minor effects on the bodily functions." Miharu said.

"This is supposed to be R&R, but making a big fuss like this is going to give us stress instead." One of the Comet Blaster pilots said.

"Well, no big fuss might make us feel bad too." The pilot next to the first said.

"Oh, pardon our intrusion during your rest." The announcer said.

"We are constantly under pressure, so it is impossible to do our jobs without confidence in our abilities to carry out our missions." Miharu said.

"Outer space can be so stifling." The third pilot said.

"The only special privilege of living in space is not ruining out figure." The fourth pilot said.

"Yes, now about your missions, do you feel a sense of duty or pressure?" The announcer asked. Roy listened intently to the conversation, as did Mikaze. The four pilots started laughing for a moment.

"Was that a bad question?" the announcer asked.

"No, that's not it. It just never crossed our minds before." The first pilot said.

"We're not lackadaisical or anything like that." The second pilot said.

"This is a job, right?" the third pilot asked.

"If we were always fired up we wouldn't last." The fourth pilot said.

"Roy looked to Mikaze and she looked back to him. Roy looked troubled by the Pilots' words.

"What's with that attitude?" Ayamo asked from a ways into the crowd. Mikaze and Roy looked over and saw Ayamo and Shizuha there. They both looked to see Mikaze and Roy. Mikaze looked away from Ayamo, sadness in her eyes. Roy looked to her,

Ayamo looked away from Mikaze and Shizuha looked back to the stage.

"Now for the next question." The announcer said.

"No that's all the time we have for this evening." Miharu said. The announcer looked to her with question.

"We can't allow our schedule to be affected adversely." Miharu said.

"But-" The announcer started.

"This is as much fan service as you get." She said as she and the other pilots got up and headed for the stage exit. Mikaze made her way through the crowd with Roy on her shoulder. Roy let go and tried to follow. Roy was right behind Mikaze as she shoved her way to the front.

"Hey what's with you?" one of the audience asked.

"Let me through!" Mikaze said as she reached the border. The first pilot of the Comet Blasters saw Mikaze and eyed her. Mikaze returned a glare. Roy made it up to the border and studied each of the four pilots. The first noticed Roy and then the MS patch on Mikaze's shoulder and smiled. She noticed Roy's GTVA patch on his shoulder and looked at that one curiously.

"Chizuru, what's up?" Miharu asked as she turned around. She noticed the MS patch and GTVA patch and coldly stared at Roy. Roy returned a glare in kind.

"Oh what a nostalgic emblem!" The second pilot said. Mikaze tightened her glare.

"So it's still around. The squadron who crawls on the ground." The third pilot taunted.

"Chris that's rude. Those girls kindly mop up after us you know." The fourth pilot said. Chris turned around and pointed her rear in Mikaze's direction.

"I know." She said. Roy had seen and heard the pilots and was about to say something.

"DON'T YOU DARE MAKE FUN OF US!" Ayamo said from down the side a ways.

"EVERY SECOND COUNTS WITH US! WE HAVE MUCH TOUGHER JOB THAN YOU WHO FLOAT AROUND WITH A CAREFREE ATTITUDE!" Ayamo yelled. Two security guards ran in her direction. They tried to push Ayamo back further into the crowd. Roy looked at her and then back to Miharu with a glare.

"MIHARU!" A voice yelled from in the crowd. Ayamo, Shizuha, Mikaze, and Roy all looked down the side with surprise at the familiarity of the voice. Mr. Sako fell out of the front of the crowd and tried to get to Miharu.

"MIHARU!" Sako called out again.

"Mr. Sako?" Mikaze and Roy asked simultaneously.

"MIHARU! IT'S ME! IT'S KO-CHAN! MIHARU!" Mr. Sako yelled.

"Who are you! Stop it!" One of the security guards said as they tried to apprehend Sako.

"IT'S ALL MY FAULT! PLEASE COME BACK! MIHARU! WHAT'S WRONG! HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN ME!" Sako yelled. Miharu simply turned around and left, ignoring Mr. Sako.

"MIHARU! WAIT!" Sako yelled as he tried to lunge forward again.

"MIHARU!" Sako yelled again. She and the other comet blasters left the stage and Sako was apprehended.

The next day at the Inquiry board, everyone was in the same room this time.

"She was desperate to stop the meteor. That's all there is to it!" Ayamo said. Roy was standing with Mikaze's help a bit back while Ayamo and Shizuha stood right about where the chairs were.

"I think I would have done the same thing under the same circumstances." Ayamo said. Ayamo turned her head enough to see Roy and Mikaze and nodded to both of them. Roy and Mikaze responded with a smile. The man who stepped in to mention Ayamo and Shizuha last time, stepped in again with the phone.

"What is it! can't this wait! We're in the middle of an inquiry!" the man in the middle of the desk said. the man with the phone whispered something.

"From the secretary general!" He asked as he took the phone.

"Sorry to have kept you waiting! To what do we owe the honor of receiving-" He stopped and listened for a second.

"Yes! Yes! We're doing fine! Yes of course!

Later, outside the Inquiry building, Ayamo, Roy, Shizuha, and Mikaze were all outside waiting for their ride to the airport and from there back to Shimoji island. Ayamo was stretching while Shizuha stood by her and Roy was still being helped standing by Mikaze.

"MMM! Oh that felt good!" She said.

"Now we just have to wait." Shizuha said.

"I'm sorry." Mikaze said. Shizuha, Ayamo, and Roy looked to Mikaze.

"I made everyone worry again." Mikaze said. Ayamo and Shizuha smiled at Mikaze and Roy. Roy looked to Shizuha and then Ayamo and then smiled. Ayamo looked surprised for a moment and blushed, looking away from him.

"It will be all right no matter what punishment I get. Being friends with you again is enough for me. There's nothing more important." Mikaze said. Ayamo refocused her attention to Mikaze.

"Absolutely! That's the spirit!" Ayamo said.

"Hey let's go home, everyone's waiting." Shizuha said. they started to go for the airport on their own, Shizuha looked back after a few steps and saw Roy and Mikaze moving at a slow pace, and went back.

"Hey Mikaze, I'll take Roy. I'm sure you've already helped him enough right?" Shizuha asked.

"Ok!" Mikaze said as she helped Roy onto Shizuha's shoulder. Mikaze started to run ahead with Ayamo but turned back to Roy with a Flirtatious look and headed with Ayamo. Shizuha laughed for a moment and looked to Roy.

"So what happened to you?" Shizuha asked. Roy looked to her.

"An interrogation to put it simply. I'll tell you more about it after we get back." Roy said. Shizuha smiled and helped him walk.

"It seems Mikaze likes you." Shizuha said.

"I kind of figured that with how friendly she's been with me. I know you like me, I'm pretty sure Karin likes me, I'm not so sure about Ayamo though." Roy said.

"I mean Mikaze actually LIKES you." Shizuha said. Roy was confused by the statement and thought about it for a moment.

"I'm not sure I follow. Isn't that what you just said?" Roy asked.

Shizuha was confused and then smiled. She held Roy a bit closer.

"Well that's ok, cause I LIKE you too." Shizuha said with a smile.

_"What does she mean, LIKE me? I know that if you like someone that you appreciate them and their company, or you care about them. What else could she mean?"_ Roy wondered.

Later when they got back to Shimoji Island, Mr. Iwasaki, Mr. Kisaragi, Tsubasa and Sora were reading the paper from GQ that Mikaze and Roy brought back. The paper read that Mikaze was given a 20% pay cut and grounding from flight for forty days. There was also a picture of Mr. Sako on the front page labeled: Punk interferes with CBs. That was the article they were focused more on.

Mikaze, Ayamo, Shizuha, And Roy were on their way back to Kouchin.

"I think I can walk fine now. My legs don't hurt that badly anymore." Roy said. Shizuha let him go and Roy managed to stand up straight, he looked forward with a smile. Shizuha took a hold of his arm.

"Although it's when you think you've recovered that you're in the most danger. I'll still hold onto you and make sure you don't fall." Shizuha said in a flirty way. Roy smiled and continued walking with Shizuha on his arm. Mikaze and Ayamo looked at Shizuha curiously and then back to eachother.

"I heard Karin snuck out of the medical room." Shizuha said.

"I wonder if she's really ok?" Mikaze replied as they entered Kouchin. To their surprise, they saw Karin sitting at a table with a bunch of used bowels on the table. Karin turned around to see them and still had a noodle sticking out of her mouth.

Mikaze, Ayamo, Shizuha, and Roy all stood there in shock of how much Karin had eaten. Karin slurped the last but of noodle and licked her lips. The other girls laughed sheepishly and Roy was still in awe of how much food she had.

Up in the control tower, Commander Reynolds was on the phone.

"We owe you one this time. She's a young one with a future. Instead of being tossed around be politics, I'd like her to live a straight-forward life." Reynolds said.

Back at Kouchin, the restaurant owner hung up the phone about the same time Reynolds was done when Ms. Ron came in.

"Grandma, Karin said she'll have another helping." She said.

"All right." The restaurant owner said.

"Karin! What are you thinking! If you eat too much too fast, it's back to the hospital!" Ayamo said. Roy and Shizuha were looking back and fourth between the bowls and Karin in sheer awe at how much she was eating. Mikaze seemed pretty surprised as well.

"But I…I woke up…and I was hungry." Karin said.

"Sure but…" Ayamo said.

* * *

End of chapter 5

* * *

**Roy and Mikaze suffered through the Inquiry board of Okinawa, met the Comet Blasters and saw how conceited they were, and Roy suffered through the grueling "punishment" of interrogation once again. Roy managed to keep his secret of being from the future hidden from the politics and safe with the Shimoji Island base commanders. But Roy will eventually have to tell Mikaze and the others, but how will he? And when will he? Find out what happens next in Flight 6: Planning ahead!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Previously, Roy and Mikaze were summoned to the Okinawa Board of Inquiry. Roy managed to keep his secret hidden but at a price. He suffered the force of interrogation, a force that would have broken most people. Mikaze is grounded from flight and suffers a 20% pay cut for forty days. Roy failed to make a change in the past. Will he succeed? And if he does, how will it affect the future? And will he be able to tell Mikaze and the others about his secret soon?**

Flight 6: planning ahead

The alarms went insane inside the cockpit of the Zeus. Roy looked around as the Zeus shook, spinning out of control, from the intense force of re-entry into earths atmosphere.

"OXYGEN LEVELS! UNSTABLE! NOT GOOD! I WON'T BE ABLE TO SURVIVE THIS IF THE PRESSURE GETS ANY HIGHER!" Roy said as he tried to regain control of the spinning bomber. The enemy warning signals started screaming to life all of a sudden and Roy immediately looked behind him only to see what he believed was the entire Shivan armada.

Made up of the massive Sathanas fleet, and many more Shivan Cain class cruisers, leviathan class cruisers, Rakshasa class corvettes, and countless Shivan fighters and bombers, the armada headed for earth and began an orbital bombardment. Roy struggled to turn his bomber bomber to face the onslaught of Shivan fighters but the bomber still spun out of control, plummeting towards earth.

"ALPHA 1 TO GTVA COMMAND! EARTH FORCES! ANYONE! THE SHIVANS ARE BOMBARDING THE PLANET! REPEAT! THE SHIVANS HAVE MADE IT TO EARTH SPACE AND HAVE BEGUN PLANETARY BOMBARDMENT! PLEASE RESPOND!" Roy yelled into the com. No response.

"I SAY AGAIN! THIS IS ALPHA 1 TO GTVA COMMAND! THE SHIVANS ARE BOMBARDING EARTH WITH THEIR ENTIRE ARMADA! EVACUATE THE PLANET!" Roy yelled. Again no response. He looked at the planet as the massive red beams punched the ground.

He could see the clouds moving and the ground shaking as the beams punched through the crust. Roy sat in hos cockpit, speechless as to what he was seeing.

"...Roy...you must...change...the past..." The mysterious voice called out to him. Roy looked around for the Pegasus fighter, or at least what he thought was a Pegasus fighter, in search of the voice.

"WHERE ARE YOU!" Roy called out. He then looked forward and saw the Pegasus flying at him head on. Roy's eyes shot open in fear.

"NO! WAIT!" He called.

"Change the history you know...a simple change in history...can prevent this..." the voice said. The Pegasus flew right into Roy's bomber, fire erupted inside Roy's cockpit and the Zeus exploded in atmosphere.

"GAH! WH-" Roy began as he shot up from his bed. He looked around the room and noticed it was still night time, Mikaze and Shizuha were still asleep. Roy took a second to collect himself before getting up and walking to the deck outside. He leaned against the rail and looked up at the stars, thinking about his most recent nightmare.

"Change the history I know...?" Roy asked quietly.

_"So it is a message. Wait! I'm going crazy!" _Roy thought as he shook his head. Then he looked back to the stars in wonder.

_"Then again...maybe I'm not going crazy. I already proved to the commander here that I'm from the future. But how would I explain this?" _Roy wondered.

"Can't sleep?" A soft and quiet voice asked from behind. Roy turned around to see Karin poking her head out of the door.

"No..." Roy responded as he looked back to the sky.

"Another bad dream?" Karin asked. Roy looked down and sighed.

"...Yeah..." he said.

"I could hear you from the other room. You talk a lot in your sleep." Karin said. Roy stayed quiet.

"The things you said, are they past experiences?" Karin asked. Roy looked back to see that Karin was standing right next to him, waiting for him to say something.

"...Not exactly. Well they're related to things I've experienced before. But these nightmares are different. Always ending the same." Roy explained. Karin looked at Roy even more curiously.

"It's...it's hard to explain." Roy said. Karin took Roy's hand in her own and stood close to him. He looked at her curiously.

"What are you doing?" Roy asked. Karin just stood there with his hand clasped in hers and looked at the stars. Roy looked back to the stars as well, still thinking about what happened in his dreams.

_"What do I need to change?" _Roy wondered. He looked back to Karin and nudged her on the shoulder. She looked up in wonder.

"I'm going to head back inside. I need to get some sleep." Roy said. Karin hesitantly let go of Roy's hand and watched him as he waved and went back inside.

"I wonder...does he...like me?" Karin wondered.

Later, in the morning, Admiral woke up as the sun's light hit the Kouchin. She went around the restaurant to wake up Ms. Ron and the restaurant owner. Admiral pressed her paw against Ms. Ron's cheek.

"Uh, good morning, Alice." Ms. Ron said as she woke up. She got up and went to the kitchen to make breakfast for Admiral.

"We sure don't need an alarm clock." The owner said as she woke up. Ms. Ron handed Admiral her breakfast and Admiral began to chow down.

"Alice, when you're done eating, go wake up the sleepy heads." The owner said from the other room.

"Meow!" Admiral responded in her usual annoyed tone.

Mikaze was flying her assigned MS craft through the atmosphere at a 90 degree vertical angle, straight towards space. Everything seemed to be red around her. Vision slightly impaired.

"I am! I'm going to space!" She said as she struggled to keep control of the craft. She burst through the cloud cover in the lower half of the atmosphere at high speed.

"I WON'T! I WON'T GIVE UP!" She said. After a few more seconds she saw a massive meteor plummeting toward earth right in front of her and her eyes shot wide open in fear. She couldn't do anything but scream right before her MS craft crumpled right into the meteor and erupted into a massive fireball.

Mikaze was laying in her bed sweating profusely, moaning from the nightmare she just had. When she woke up her eyes shot open to see admiral laying on top of her and pressing against her cheek.

UGH! YOU'RE SO HEAVY! GET OFF ME!" Mikaze yelled as she pushed admiral off of her. Admiral landed on Roy's right side. His eyes instantly shot open, bloodshot from the sudden mass of admiral landing on his fractured ribs.

"…YAAAAAAOOOOOOOCH!" Roy screamed in pain. Ms. Ron and the store owner immediately looked upstairs, Ayamo and Karin woke up looking around frantically for something wrong, and Mikaze and Shizuha immediately jumped down to see if Roy was ok as Admiral darted out of the room.

"Did you hear something?" Ms. Kisaragi asked.

"No I didn't." Commander Reynolds replied. Kisaragi shrugged and returned to her paper work.

Ayamo burst into the room.

"OK WHAT HAPPENED- oh it was you again." Ayamo said with an annoyed skeptical look.

"Ayamo! It's not his fault, Admiral fell on top of him." Shizuha said.

"Oh right, the fractured ribs. Sorry." Ayamo said as she left the room. Roy sat holding his side in pain.

"Are you ok Roy? Did anything break?" Shizuha asked.

"OOOOHH I SWEAR IF THAT CAT BROKE SOMETHING I'M GOING TO KILL HER!" Mikaze fumed.

"No! No, nothing broke. Damn that hurt!" Roy said.

"Oh good. I thought she might have done a bit more damage to you." Mikaze said as she wrapped Roy in a hug and started squeezing.

"She might not have but you might!" Roy winced.

"Oops! Sorry!" Mikaze said, immediately releasing him.

"Geez Mikaze, you might be more harmful to him than admiral." Shizuha said playfully. Roy slumped back down and shut his eyes.

"Ugh I don't know if I can take this!" Roy complained. Mikaze and Shizuha giggled a bit.

Outside, Admiral went near the front entrance and sat down, "standing watch" as people referred to it. A few people came by, dropping off the news paper, giving admiral some food, and complimenting admiral on her job "guarding" the restaurant.

A few moments later, Mikaze and the others were scrambling to get ready. Roy having a hard time getting into his GTVA casual wear.

"Oh you're such a slow poke Mikaze!" Shizuha complained.

"But I'm still under disciplinary probation." Mikaze said.

Could someone help me get this shirt on?" Roy asked, struggling to get into the shirt.

"You still have classes like usual." Karin said.

"If it's not too much to ask, can someone help me?" Roy asked.

"OH! Sorry! Here let me give you a hand." Shizuha said as she helped Roy get his shirt on.

"YIKES! We're cuttin it close! Hurry up you two!" Ayamo said.

"We're coming!" Shizuha said.

"Ms. Ron we're borrowing the bikes!" Ayamo said. Admiral looked up at the bikes and noticed that the delivery boxes were still attached.

"We're getting plenty of penalties as it is!" Shizuha said.

"OH! We're missing breakfast again!" Mikaze said.

"Who's fault is that?" Ayamo challenged.

"DAMMIT I just dropped my toast!" Roy yelled.

"No time! We have to get to classes now!" Shizuha said, dragging Roy out the door. Shizuha sat Roy on her bike and quickly jumped on herself while the others started and hit the gas. The bikes zoomed from around back of the Kouchin and onto the road as Roy nearly fell off.

"WHOA! Careful Shizuha, I nearly fell off!" Roy said.

"Sorry! Here, hold onto me, that way you don't." Shizuha said. Roy held his right arm around Shizuha's waist, keeping his left hand on his ribs.

At base, Commander Reynolds was enjoying his morning coffee when Sub-commander Kisaragi stepped up to him, he greeted her with a smile.

"Good morning commander." Kisaragi said.

"Ah, good morning." Reynolds replied.

"According to the observational report, the next batch of meteors heading our way are being drawn by Jupiter's gravitational field. So it looks like we may be relieved of dispatches for a while." Kisaragi reported.

"I see. I just wish it would always remain that way." Reynolds said as he looked out the window. Just outside Mikaze, Ayamo, Shizuha, Karin, and Roy all pulled in and rushed off their bikes for the door.

"Hurry!" Shizuha yelled.

"A few minutes left." Karin said.

"I'm so hungry I can't move!" Mikaze complained.

"Shut up and run!" Ayamo yelled.

"Kinda hard for me to run!" Roy yelled. Kisaragi looked nervously back to the commander.

"Uh, I'm sorry sir! I'll give them proper guidance later." Kisaragi promised. Commander Reynolds chuckled for a moment. Kisaragi was about to head for the door when Commander Reynolds stopped her.

"First, I want you to give this to Roy." Commander Reynolds said as he handed a small card to Sub-commander Kisaragi. She looked at the card and she practically fell over.

"COMMANDER WHAT IS THIS!" Kisaragi shrieked.

Mikaze, Ayamo, and Karin all dashed through the door while Shizuha Made sure Roy was able to walk on his own.

"You're sure you can make it on your own?" Shizuha asked.

"Yeah, go ahead I'll catch up." Roy said.

"No, unacceptable. I'll hold your hand ok?" Shizuha asked.

"Well, if you insist." Roy replied. Shizuha took a hold of Roy's hand and they went into the base. After they entered the base. One of the bike's delivery boxes opened to reveal admiral.

"Alice? We're about to open the restaurant." Ms. Ron said as she stepped out of the Kouchin.

"Alice?" she asked as she looked around.

"Grandma, have you seen Alice?" Ms. Ron asked.

"She's probably gone off on patrol around the block." The Kouchin owner said.

"Oh right, then she'll probably be back for lunch for sure." Ms. Ron said with a smile.

Meanwhile back at base, Admiral was walking around the runway, watching all the trainees run laps.

"Hey which one would you choose?" Tsubasa asked.

"Huh, what are you talking about man?" Sora asked.

"What else man? Which one do you like best of those chicks over there?" Tsubasa asked. Sora looked away from the trainer craft to see the trainees and blushed slightly.

"HEY TSUBASA! Is that all you have on your sick mind?" Sora demanded.

"I take care of my responsibilities. Whoa! That second girl from the back, looks like she might be my type!" Tsubasa said.

"Yeah whatever! You know, they probably like that new guy better than either of us anyway." Sora replied.

"Ugh! Seriously, what is it that they like about him so much?" Tsubasa asked.

"Probably the fact that he's not a womanizer like you." Sora retorted. Tsubasa proceeded to fume.

In the next hangar over, Mr. Sako held a wrench tightly, looking down at it with a depressed expression. Roy was moving a few more boxes for Mr. Sako but keeping an eye on him.

"I can't believe I got disciplinary actions at my age..." he said. He looked at the news paper from GQ, him on the front page about his humiliation at the concert hall on Okinawa.

"You going to be ok Mr. Sako?" Roy asked.

"We loved each other so very much..." He said as he was about to cry.

"Of course...he's too depressed to hear me." Roy said with an annoyed skeptical look. Mr. Sako threw his wrench out the hangar door and Roy looked back at Mr. Sako wide eyed.

"MIHARUUUUU! GAAAAAAHHHHH!" Mr Sako screamed. The wrench nearly hit Admiral as her eyes shot wide open. She looked back to Mr. Sako as he tripped Roy and caused him to fall over a few boxes of parts.

"OUCH! MR. SAKO! I'M ALREADY IN PAIN!" Roy yelled. Admiral shook her head and proceeded into the base.

Admiral walked into the shower room and looked in the girls shower section and could see many legs inside. Mr. Fujitani was walking past when he saw Admiral. He was about to pick Admiral up when he heard the trainees inside the girls shower room. He looked into the crack in the door when his glasses started to fog up.

Mr. Fujitani cleared his glasses up with his shirt and then looked back in to see another eye staring right at him. Mr. Fujitani fell back and started running as all the girls in the shower room started screaming.

In the kitchen Mikaze was washing a large pot for the base.

"Oh! So hot! This wasn't on my list of penalties!" Mikaze complained.

"No flying and pay cuts are penalties from the organization. Dish washing is a penalty from the base." The cook said.

"But it's not a dish it's a pot, you know?" Mikaze asked lazily. The cook stayed quiet for a second before turning around.

"STOP COMPLAINING AND GET TO WORK!" She yelled. Mikaze stood scared for a moment.

"YES MA'AM!" Mikaze screamed as she got back to cleaning.

"The cook is...scary!" She said. Mikaze looked away from the pot to see if the cook was looking when she saw Admiral in the kitchen. Admiral jumped up and took one of the filets from the large tray on the table.

"Hey!" Mikaze whispered. Admiral looked back at Mikaze.

"Admiral! What are you doing here?" Mikaze asked. Admiral jumped down and started running for the door.

"HEY!" Mikaze yelled as she threw the sponge she was using at Admiral.

"Hey, what's going on?" The cook asked.

"A CAT! THERE'S A CAT!" Mikaze yelled as she ran out.

"Hey! Wait a minute!" the cook said, but Mikaze was already long gone. Meanwhile, a small transport plane landed at Shimoji Island where Sub-commander Kisaragi retrieved a package from the occupants. Roy noticed Ms. Kisaragi pick up the package from the corner of his eye and looked over to her. She went straight for the main building and was out of Roy's sight within seconds.

Roy returned his attention to the books he was reading, books about the history of Shimoji Island.

_"Ok, I'm going to have to plan quite far ahead in order to have any chance of success. Let's see...next event that should make a difference is...huh, that's interesting." _Roy thought. He looked up at the large unfinished craft above him in the hangar.

_"Hmmm maybe that can help in some way or another." _Roy thought.

Ms. Kisaragi was walking through the base, on her way to the control tower, to deliver the data disks and chips to the commander when Admiral ran through the hall and between her legs causing her to trip and fall.

"Why is there a cat in the halls?" Ms. Kisaragi asked. Mikaze ran by and immediately stopped when she saw Ms. Kisaragi on the floor. Ms. Kisaragi Noticed Mikaze out of the corner of her eye and that her own skirt was up. She immediately shifted so her skirt was adjusted properly and glared at Mikaze.

"Ms. Honjou! This is your fault, isn't it?" Ms. Kisaragi demanded.

"No, ma'am, the cat-" Mikaze began before she noticed Admiral walking away again.

"WAIT! HOLD IT!" Mikaze yelled as she ran after Admiral again.

"Ms. HONJOU!" Ms. Kisaragi yelled.

"HOLD IT YOU!" Mikaze yelled.

"You'll pay for this! A cat, unbelievable." Ms. Kisaragi said, refocusing her attention on the data disks and chips. She re arranged them back on the tray and counted them, making sure they were all there.

"1, 2, 3...huh?" She said as she looked in her shirt.

"Huh?" She looked under her legs, she shifted multiple positions looking for the missing data chip until she finally slumped down for a second.

"It's gone! One vital data chip...is missing!" Ms. Kisaragi said, almost crying.

Admiral darted across the runway with Mikaze close behind until she finally jumped the fence and landed in the grass on the other side. Mikaze stood stunned when she noticed that one of the data chips from Kisaragi's tray was stuck on Admiral's fur.

"Pilot candidate Mikaze Honjou, come to the staff room immediately!" Ms. Kisaragi called over the com.

"I repeat, Pilot candidate Mikaze Honjou, come to the staff room immediately! If you don't hurry over to the staff room, your penalties will increase!" Ms. Kisaragi threatened. Mikaze grunted in embarrassment.

Ms. Kisaragi sat in her chair, staring at the tray, worried about what will happen to her if she doesn't get the data to the commander. Mr. Iwasaki walked up to her.

"Ms. Kisaragi, what's the problem?" Mr. Iwasaki asked.

"Ah!" Ms. Kisaragi sighed as she clasped her hands to the side of her face.

"An important data chip addressed to the commander from Headquarters is missing. A triple-A rank so they need to be transmitted in three hours." She explained before looking at Iwasaki with a more longing look.

"What should I do!" she asked desperately.

"So do you have any ideas?" Mr. Iwasaki asked.

"Well-" Ms. Kisaragi began before Mikaze walked in.

"Mikaze Honjou, reporting!" Mikaze said as she walked in. Ms. Kisaragi growled, ran across the room, grabbed Mikaze by the shoulders and started shaking her.

"WHAT DID YOU DO WITH THE DATA CHIP! DATA CHIP! WHERE IS IT! TELL ME! WHERE IS THE DATA CHIP!" She demanded, Mr. Iwasaki and Mr. Fujitani both looked to Kisaragi with worry.

"CA-CAT!" Mikaze finally blurted. Ms. Kisaragi finally stopped shaking her.

"WHAT? THE CAT!" Ms. Kisaragi yelled.

The air raid sirens started going off all across the base.

"EMERGENCY SITUATION! EMERGENCY SITUATION! UNASSIGNED STAFF AND CREW, PLEASE ASSIST THE SEARCH!" Ms. Kisaragi yelled over the loud speakers. Sora and Tsubasa shuffled through the grass looking for Admiral.

"So uh, why the heck are we looking for a cat?" Tsubasa asked.

"It's a base emergency! Stop complaining and keep looking will ya?" Sora snapped.

"Yeah yeah!" Tsubasa replied.

"ADMIRAL! WHERE ARE YOU! ADMIRAL!" Ayamo yelled through the hangar. Shizuha waved a small fish.

"Here, here's a snack so come on out." Shizuha said.

"COMEON OUT WHILE IT'S STILL FUNNY!" Ayamo yelled.

"But...don't come out in front of me." Karin said timidly. Mr Iwasaki scanned the runway with a pair of binoculars with Mr. Fujitani close by.

"Thanks to that cat I'm treated like a peeping tom!" Mr. Fujitani complained.

"You got what you deserved." Mr. Iwasaki said with a smirk. All throughout the base, all the trainees and other staff and crew were using various methods of locating Admiral, including Tsubasa and Sora dressing as mice in order to lure her out. Roy saw them get into the large mouse jumpsuits and stared at them in total confusion, shook his head and returned to his books.

"Hey this is stupid! Why do I have to dress up like this?" Tsubasa complained.

"SHUT UP AND KEEP LOOKING!" Sora yelled. Roy looked up again at them and saw Tsubasa looking in his direction.

"_What is he doing?_ Why isn't he assisting the search?" Tsubasa wondered. Roy just returned to his books. Mr. Sako sat near Roy staring at a picture of him and Miharu.

"We were so passionate about...flying it together." Mr. Sako said as he gripped the picture harder and sounded like he was about to cry. Roy patted Sako on the shoulder. Other members of the crew kept on with the search in many other methods, seemingly changing every five minutes.

Mikaze ran by the hangar and stopped just outside the door.

"HEY! COME OUT YOU FATASS CAT!" Mikaze yelled as she walked in.

"IF YOU DON'T COME OUT NOW YOU'RE REALLY GONNA GET IT!" Mikaze yelled. She walked up by Mr. Sako and Roy.

"Mr. Sako, have you seen admiral?" Mikaze asked. Sako was just mumbling under his breath.

"I think leaving him alone for a while is best, he's really hurting right now." Roy said.

"Yeah- OH WHAT AM I DOING! I CAN'T JUST SIT AND TALK!" Mikaze said as she started to run off. Roy grabbed her by the hand and she looked back to him.

"Mikaze, I've been meaning to ask you something." Roy said. Mikaze turned to face him, her eyes lighting up.

"Yeah?" She asked.

"What would you say if-" "ADMIRAL!" Roy was cut off by other trainees yelling from outside the hangar.

"OH RIGHT! I'M GOING TO BE IN TROUBLE!" Mikaze yelled as she started for the hangar door.

"YOU CAN TELL ME LATER!" She said to Roy. He sat down again and rested his forehead in his palm.

"Damn! This is harder than I thought." Roy said quietly. He picked up one of his books again and paused before turning the page. After another second he looked back to where Mikaze left.

_"How am I going to tell her?" _Roy wondered.

"Alice! Dinner!" Ms. Ron called from outside the Kouchin. She looked around, worried. After a moment she went back inside.

"What should we do grandma?" Ms. Ron asked.

"Well, she might be staying the night somewhere." The Kouchin owner said.

"I'll go look around the neighborhood." Ms. Ron suggested.

"No worries, she may not look it, but she's pretty tough. And maybe Roy will see her and bring her back." The owner reassured.

"Yeah, you're right." Ms. Ron replied.

Back at base, everyone was still looking frantically for Admiral.

"Admiral! I'm not angry, so please come out!" Mikaze called. Mr. Fujitani looked throughout the inside the base until he came up to the locker room.

"HEY YOU FATASS CAT! YOU IN HERE!" He yelled as he burst into the door. All of the trainees in the girls locker room screamed trying to cover themselves.

"Oh no! Get the layer." Mr. Fujitani said before getting pounded out of the Locker room.

Karin walked by the hangar, looking for admiral. Suddenly there was a loud "MEOW!" just past the fence. She looked in that direction timidly and walked towards the fence. Roy walked out of the hangar still reading his book when he noticed Karin by the fence.

"Could I have...found them?" Karin whispered. Roy looked curiously past Karin and at the shifting grass where there seemed to be cats in a fight. Roy walked up by the fence and Saw Admiral, another large cat, and a smaller cat in the area. Admiral just finished fighting the large cat and the smaller one ran up to Admiral.

"Wow, I've never seen anything like that before." Roy commented. Karin backed up, even more timid than before.

"Th-this is really bad!" She said as she ran off. Roy looked back at Karin as she ran off, returned to reading and then went back into the hangar. Mikaze, Ayamo and Shizuha came back with Karin a few moments after Roy went back into the Hangar.

"Where Karin?" Mikaze asked.

"Over there." Karin said, pointing past the fence.

"That punk! You won't get off easy!" Mikaze said with a harsh tone.

"Shh! Talk too loud and she'll notice." Ayamo warned, but Mikaze ran up to the fence, completely ignoring her.

"HEY! ADMIRAL! Huh?" Mikaze noticed that three cats were laying unconscious past the fence, none of them Admiral.

"They are cats..." Ayamo commented.

"but different cats all together." Shizuha replied.

"Karin! You should be able to tell the difference between Admiral and other cats!" Mikaze criticized.

"Uh, i- i- it's not..." Karin fumbled for the right words.

"Give her a break, she seems to be afraid of cats and she probably was in a panic. Maybe she thought Admiral was one of them because of it." Roy said as he came out of the hangar. Mikaze and Shizuha looked to Roy, Karin blushed a bit, Ayamo blushed slightly but then snapped to him

"WHAT WERE YOU DOING IN THE HANGAR THIS WHOLE TIME! WHY DIDN'T YOU HELP FIND ADMIRAL!" Ayamo screamed.

"Sorry, I was helping Mr. Sako with something." Roy replied.

"Oh, what were you helping him with?" Shizuha asked.

"Well...I'm not sure any of my help actually did anything." Roy said as he looked back to Mr. Sako, who was still sulking over his previous mistake.

"MIHARUUUUU!" Mr. Sako screamed as he threw a wrench and tripped over another box of tools.

"Ugh great, go on with finding Admiral, I have to help Mr. Sako up and make sure he didn't hurt himself to bad." Roy said with a sigh as he walked back into the hangar.

In the staff room, Ms. Kisaragi noticed that the time to transmit the data from the chips and disks she had was up and a tear fell down her face.

"Oh no! Time's up! I'll take the responsibility, move back to the countryside where I'll have to marry someone I don't want to marry! Then live the rest of my life in regret!" Ms. Kisaragi said before looking longingly at Mr. Iwasaki. Mr Fujitani grunted behind both of them with bruises all over his face.

Mr. Iwasaki looked back at Mr. Fujitani with somewhat a concerned look while Ms. Kisaragi looked to him with a skeptical look.

"Uh, right, well, don't you think it would be best to report this to the commander? He just might be able to help you, you know, give you some orders or something. There's no need to jump to conclusions." Mr. Iwasaki said with a bit of a sheepish laugh.

"Oh, yes, you're right." Ms. Kisaragi said with a sigh as she went left the staff room. On her way there she passed the hangar where Roy was. Roy looked up from his book and saw Ms. Kisaragi walking to the control tower, looking depressed. He got up and walked over to her.

"Sub-commander?" Roy asked. Kisaragi looked over to Roy.

"Are you ok? You don't look so good." Roy asked.

"Mmm, I don't know." Ms. Kisaragi said.

"Do you want me to take you to the infirmary?" Roy asked.

"No...i have to report to the commander." Ms. Kisaragi said.

"Oh, I need to ask him something, if you don't mind I'll join you to the commander." Roy said.

"...Ok" Ms. Kisaragi dryly replied. Roy followed closely behind Ms. Kisaragi, making sure she didn't fall over when going up the stairs. When Ms. Kisaragi finally made it to the top step, she heard a small "meow" and looked to the commander to see Admiral laying in his lap.

Ms. Kisaragi's eyes shot wide open and she pointed to admiral with an expression of sheer surprise.

"AD-MI-RAL!" Ms. Kisaragi blurted. Roy came up next to Ms. Kisaragi and was confused at her reaction.

"Ma'am, it's just a cat." Roy said.

"Something wrong Ms. Kisaragi?" Commander Reynolds asked.

"Commander! That cat had the triple-A data chip!" Kisaragi shouted. Commander Reynolds looked down, pulled the chip out and held it up.

"Is this it?" he asked.

"YYYEEEEESS! THAT'S IT! THAT'S IT!" Ms. Kisaragi shrieked. Commander Reynolds looked back down to Admiral and then back to Kisaragi with a smile.

"Well she delivered it to me. It was a very urgent matter so I replied directly to headquarters. Tell me is there something the matter?" Commander Reynolds asked. Ms. Kisaragi slumped back down into a relieved yet stressed stance.

"No, nothing. Excuse me sir." Ms. Kisaragi said as she walked passed Roy and nearly fell against one of the desks.

"Oh Ms. Kisaragi, before you go, how did everything with Roy go?" Commander Reynolds asked. Ms. Kisaragi's eyes shot open and Roy looked back and forth between Reynolds and Kisaragi in confusion. Ms. Kisaragi whirled around and dropped to her knees in front of the commander.

"I'M SORRY COMMANDER REYNOLDS! I COMPLETELY FORGOT IN ALL THE CONFUSION WITH THE DATACHIP!" Ms. Kisaragi yelled with her hands clasped.

"It's fine Ms. Kisaragi, just take care of it now." Commander Reynolds said with a smile. Ms. Kisaragi stood up and turned to Roy and held the card that Reynolds handed to her earlier that day, to Roy.

"Roy Lancer, this is your new ID, due to various circumstances, we needed to go through an effort of making a believable fake ID card for you. From today forth, you will be known as Roy..." Ms. Kisaragi paused for a moment, feeling a bit skeptical about what she was about to say.

"Yes?" Roy asked.

"Your name is now Roy Kisaragi." She said. Roy practically fell over after a few moments.

"!" Everyone back at Kouchin screamed.

"That's right, I've been wondering how to tell everyone for a moment but I finally just decided to let it out. Roy Lancer is actually my younger brother." Ms. Kisaragi said.

"Then why does he have a different last name?" Ayamo asked suspiciously. Ms. Kisaragi looked down, unable to think of an excuse.

"Because I changed my name when I joined the Air force." Roy said. Ms. Kisaragi looked to Roy with surprise.

"Why did you change your name?" Ayamo asked.

"Well, I ended up into the classified divisions of the Air force. I needed to change my name for various reasons, one of them to hide my real identity. A simple name change can actually make a great disguise." Roy explained.

"Hmmm, that is a likely scenario, but how are you only eighteen and that high a ranking officer?" Ayamo asked.

"I don't exactly use by-the-book methods, but my results are unquestionable. I get the job done right, no matter what the cost." Roy replied. Ayamo stared suspiciously at him while Shizuha, Mikaze, and Karin, along with the other trainees and base staff from the base gazed at him intently.

"So do you have any stories you can tell?" one of the trainees asked.

"Sorry, all classified. Anyway what's for dinner?" Roy asked.

"Roy! You have a job to do!" The restaurant owner barked.

"Uh oh." Roy said quietly.

"Mikaze, Sako, you two as well, get up here and start taking care of the party. Everyone else, because our cat caused you so much trouble, this one's on the house, feel free to party tonight!" the Restaurant owner said. Everyone cheered for a moment and Mr. Iwasaki was petting a small cat in his lap.

"Hey, are you really going to keep that cat?" Mr. Fujitani asked.

"Yeah, I was thinking of naming it, General." Mr. Iwasaki said.

"Aww don't just play with the cat Kazuma, why not play with me too huh?" Ms. Kisaragi asked in a suggestive tone. Mr Fujitani laughed in a sheepish tone (lots of sheepish laughter XD)

"Excuse me miss, another Oolong tea please?" Ayamo asked.

"Oh sir? Could you take these plates please?" Shizuha asked in a playful tone. Mikaze and Sako walked up to take care of them.

"Sure..." they said simultaneously. Roy ran back and forth taking care of orders.

"Oh, I can't believe I'm being punished, even at my age." Mr. Sako complained.

"How come I can't party?" Mikaze asked.

"Disciplinary actions are the agency's. Taking care of the party is-" the cook began.

"PENALTY OF THE SHIMOJI ISLAND BASE! I KNOW!" Mikaze said, annoyed.

"Very good, now get back to work!" The cook ordered.

"Yeah, yeah..." Mikaze and Sako replied simultaneously as they went to take care of the party.

"Hey baby, another helping." Mr. Fujitani said.

"Don't call me that!" Mikaze said.

"How about if I called you...general?" Mr. Fujitani replied.

"IDIOT!" Mikaze retorted. Roy went over to take Ms. Kisaragi's plate when she took hold of his hand.

"Roy, could I talk to you outside?" Ms. Kisaragi asked. Roy looked to the cook and restaurant owner, to his surprise, they nodded signaling to him he can go. He and Ms. Kisaragi stepped out of the restaurant and away from the door.

"Yes Ms. Kisaragi?" Roy asked.

"Roy, because of your new identity, we have to act a bit more like siblings." Ms. Kisaragi said.

"I think we're doing a good job so far. Then again, I never had any family. I don't really know what it's like." Roy explained.

"You...don't have a family?" Ms. Kisaragi asked.

"That's right. Three hundred years from now, the Shivans return from beyond the nebula. As far as we know, that nebula is across the galaxy. Possibly further. We were never able to find out just how far that nebula is. Anyway, they came back after thirty-two years. After the Lucifer was destroyed. One of the first places attacked was an Arcadia station." Roy explained.

Ms. Kisaragi listened, trying to imagine and comprehend what Roy was telling her.

"My entire family lived aboard it at that time. My mother get me to the nearest escape pod and shot me out of there. I was only five years old at the time. I was recovered by a GTVA destroyer a few hours after I saw the Arcadia erupt into flames." Roy continued.

"What happened? Did any of your family make it?" Ms. Kisaragi asked. Roy looked back to Ms. Kisaragi with an intense expression.

"...There were no survivors. My family died in an instant." Roy said. Ms. Kisaragi stood quiet for a moment before embracing Roy. Roy's eyes shot open when he realized what was happening.

"Ms. Kisaragi?" Roy asked.

"I'm so sorry. I've misjudged you. I don't know what it's like to loose family, but I imagine it's hard." Ms. Kisaragi said. Shizuha and Ayamo looked outside the door and stared in pure shock of everything they just heard.

"Roy...is from the future?" Shizuha whispered.

"That seems kind of far fetched but it would explain a lot." Ayamo replied.

"And that story about what happened to his family. That's so sad." Shizuha said.

"How are we going to tell Roy we know?" Ayamo asked.

"I think if he wants to tell us, he will when he's ready. Let's give him some time." Shizuha said.

"Look!" Ayamo said as she pointed to Roy. Roy had a few tears rolling down his cheeks and he held onto Ms. Kisaragi as he began to cry.

"Roy..." Shizuha whispered.

"Man, I feel really bad now." Ayamo said.

"Yeah, that's so sad." Shizuha said.

"I mean about the way I was to him. I kept accusing him of so many bad things, he's actually a decent guy and I was such a jerk to him." Ayamo said.

Don't worry, we'll make it up to him, for now, let's just return to the party and pretend we didn't hear." Shizuha said with a wink.

"Yeah." Ayamo said as they went back inside.

Ms. Kisaragi continued to comfort Roy as tears continued to pour down his face.

"I'm...sorry..." Roy said. Ms. Kisaragi looked down to him with confusion.

"For what?" Ms. Kisaragi asked.

"I couldn't save them..." Roy said, almost a whisper.

End of chapter 6

**Roy has finally received an ID that show's he's the "brother" of Sayaka Kisaragi, when he told her about his family's death, Shizuha and Ayamo overheard, now they know the truth about Roy, how are they going to handle knowing this? What is Roy planning with the unfinished aircraft in the hangar? What other plans does he have for changing the future? And who, or what, is the being talking to him in his dreams? Find out what happens next in Flight 7: Advanced preparation!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Previously, Roy's secret is out, he has a new ID, and he has some plans on changing the future, and he now faces a possible exposure of his truth. Will he find out what event to change? Will he somehow keep his secret from anyone other than the base commanders and the girls?**

Flight 7: Advanced preparation!

In his Zeus, Roy flew above Shimoji Island in pursuit of a squadron of Shivan fighters.

"SHIMOJI ISLAND DEFENSE! THIS IS ALPHA 1! ENGAGING ENEMY FIGHTERS!" Roy barked into the radio. He tailed close behind a manticore class interceptor fighter, acquiring a missile lock. The target reticle for the missile lock and flashed with three more icons around it indicating he had a lock.

"MISSILE AWAY!" Roy yelled as he fired a harpoon anti-fighter missile. The missile impacted into the engines and made the fighter erupt into a fireball above the runway.

"CLEAN KILL!" Roy yelled.

"ALPHA 1! THIS IS SASHIBA 11, BEGINNING TAKEOFF REQUESTING COVER!" Mikaze yelled over the radio.

"ROGET THAT SASHIBA 11! I'M ON IT!" Roy yelled back. He switched to hornet missiles and locked onto three seraphim bombers.

"TARGETS LOCKED! FOX 3!" Roy yelled as he launched a volley of hornet swarm missiles and turned the three bombers into three more fireballs above the runway.

"SPLASHED THREE MORE TARGETS!" Roy yelled.

"SHIMOJI ISLAND BASE TO ALPHA 1! MORE CONTACTS INCOMING! MOVE TO INTERCEPT!" Shimoji island command ordered.

"ROGER THAT!" Roy replied. He changed course to intercept the other inbound fighters. About half way to the fighters, Roy's warning alarms began screaming at him.

"What the-" Roy looked up to see thousands of subspace portals open and the entire Shivan armada pour out of them. Roy sat in his seat jaw dropped for a few moments before finally snapping back to the radio.

"ORDER AN EVACUATION! PLANETWIDE EVACUATION! NOW!" Roy yelled.

"ALPHA 1! SHIMOJI ISLAND IS UNDER HEAVY FIRE!" Shimoji island command yelled. Roy looked back at the base and saw the massive red beams bursting into the base from one of the Shivan capital ships. Roy turned his bomber towards the Cain class cruiser and armed all of his cyclone warheads.

"SHIMOJI ISLAND! GET YOURSELVES OUT OF HERE! NOW! I'M GOING TO MAKE AN OPENING!" Roy yelled.

"ROGER THAT! AWATING YOUR SIGNAL!" Shimoji island command replied.

"ALPHA 1! I'M TAKING FIRE! HELP-" Mikaze's voice disappeared in static, Roy looked down to see her MS craft erupt into flames followed shortly by other craft and the rest of the base.

"NO! MIKAZE!" Roy yelled. He looked forward again and saw the Pegasus fighter in front of him.

"Make the change…Roy…you can change the future…" the voice said.

"Who are you!" Roy asked.

"I…am…the transcendent. It is up to you to make the necessary change…for humanity to survive." The transcendent said. The Pegasus engaged it's afterburners straight towards Roy's Zeus, crashed into the ship as fire erupted inside of Roy's cockpit. Everything seemed to move extremely slowly for Roy, he could see the pilot of the Pegasus, the transcendent.

After Roy realized what he saw, the Zeus erupted completely into flames.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOO! MIKAZE!" Roy screamed as he shot forward from his bed, looking around frantically as Mikaze and Shizuha grabbed hold of him.

"ROY! ROY! IT'S OK!" Shizuha said. Roy tried to break free of their hold.

"MIKAZE! NO! MIKAZE!" Roy yelled, still trying to break out of Mikaze and Sizuha's grip. He sounded out of breath and in a haze still. He broke free of Mikaze's grip and stood up trying to move, Shizuha tightened her grip on his arm and tried to bring him back down.

Ayamo burst into the door and tackled Roy to the ground. She sat up and held him down by his shoulders, Mikaze grabbed Roy by the arm again and the three girls managed to pin his back down.

"ROY!" Ayamo yelled. Roy still tried to break free but couldn't as long as Ayamo was sitting on him. Ayamo slapped him and grabbed the collar of his shirt.

"ROY! WAKE UP DAMMIT!" Ayamo yelled. Roy looked seemed to stop instantly, come out of his haze and looked around. His vision seemed blurry for a few moments when he finally saw Ayamo two inches from his face.

"Are you here, Roy?" Ayamo asked. Roy nodded and then looked to Mikaze and Shizuha, who still had a hold of him. Ayamo got off of him and stood up.

"What's with you? You're waking up from some pretty bad nightmares." Ayamo asked. Mikaze and Shizuha let go and helped Roy up.

"You were screaming my name. Are you ok?" Mikaze asked. Roy looked to Mikaze, placed his hand on her face and looked concerned and he brushed his hand across her cheeks.

"…Roy?" Shizuha asked. Roy finally removed his hand from her face and let out a sigh of relief.

"Sorry. I wasn't sure if I was dreaming now or a few minutes ago. It all seemed too real." Roy said quietly.

"What happened?" Shizuha asked.

"I was in my craft, a very deadly race was invading, and killed Mikaze as she was taking off." Roy said in a scared tone.

"You mean…the race from your time?" Shizuha asked. Roy's eyes shot wide open and he stared at Shizuha in pure and utter shock.

"WAIT! You actually believe that?" Ayamo asked.

"Ms. Kisaragi does. And if she does, that means there's some kind of proof." Shizuha said.

"Oh right, I guess I didn't think about that.

"How did you find that out?" Roy asked, almost a whisper.

"When you and Ms. Kisaragi were talking yesterday, we kind of…overheard what you were saying.

"WAIT! WHAT? ROY IS FROM A DIFFERENT TIME? WHEN WERE ANY OF YOU GOING TO TELL ME THAT?" Mikaze screamed.

"Well we were going to wait until Roy would feel ready but I guess that's not going to happen, sorry." Shizuha said.

"Well I guess that's not the sort of thing you bring up out of the blue." Mikaze said. As the girls discussed this, Roy sat, jaw dropped at the fact that they didn't think he was crazy.

"HOW ARE YOU ALL TAKING THIS SO CASUALLY?" Roy yelled. The girls stopped and looked to him.

"I am from 300 years into the future, you found out and you don't seem the slightest bit freaked out as to how it happened! I went through it and I'm still unable to believe it! How are you able to be so calm about it?" Roy asked. Shizuha, Mikaze, and Ayamo all looked curiously at Roy for a moment.

"The evidence is there. We just trust Ms. Kisaragi, she believes you, whatever you told her and you proved it somehow." Shizuha said with a smile. Roy looked away, almost sad.

"And I assume that if you overheard the conversation between me and Ms. Kisaragi, you heard about what happened to my family." Roy said. Mikaze looked confused back and forth between Roy and the others. Shizuha and Ayamo's faces fell into an expression of sadness.

"Yeah, we heard." Shizuha said. Roy stood up and walked out onto the deck, leaning on the rail outside. Mikaze, Ayamo, and Shizuha followed Roy outside.

"Then you know I have no family…" Roy said coldly. Mikaze gasped and clasped her hands over her mouth.

"Ayamo, Mikaze, why don't you two head outside for a moment, Ayamo, fill Mikaze in on the Details?" Shizuha asked. Ayamo nodded and they headed out. When they left the room, Ayamo shut the door and faced Mikaze.

"Listen, we overheard him talking yesterday, while you were serving everyone. Roy used to live really far out in space, apparently on a massive space station. His whole family lived there." Ayamo began. Mikaze listened intently.

"But…there's a race he mentioned, called the Shivans. They came in and whipped the station off the grid, and he's the only survivor. He was five years old when it happened." Ayamo said.

"Oh god! How has he survived without a family?" Mikaze asked.

"He said he was taken in by his military, the GTVA. That explains why he is the way he is. All he knows is military protocol, tactics, and very little ethics. All he really knows is how to fight…the perfect soldier." Ayamo said. Mikaze tensed for a moment.

"DON'T YOU DARE SAY THAT! HE'S NOT A WEAPON!" Mikaze yelled. Ayamo looked back to her with concern.

"Mikaze! That's not what I meant and you know it!" Ayamo replied.

"DO I? YOU JUST THINK HE'S A DANGER TO EVERYONE HERE! HE'S NOT A BAD GUY! HE HAS A HEART AND I KNOW IT!" Mikaze said as she ran back into the room. Ayamo looked back in her direction with concern.

_"I don't think he's a danger to everyone, Mikaze…"_ Ayamo thought. She looked away, thinking about what Mikaze just said.

_"I was sympathizing for him…" _Ayamo thought. She walked back into the room to see Roy crouched on the floor in tears.

_"Even though it was a while away for him…it still bothers him so much…" _Ayamo thought. Ayamo walked up to Roy and placed her hand on his shoulder. Shizuha and Mikaze were already knelt next to him. After about an hour, Roy finally started to get control of his breaths again and calm down.

Roy stood up after collecting himself and went for the door.

"Roy?" Shizuha asked. Roy stopped at the door for a moment.

"I'm just…going for a walk." He said quietly, almost a whisper. He walked out the door and closed it behind him.

"I hope he'll be ok." Shizuha said. Ayamo and Mikaze looked to her for a moment before Ayamo looked back in Roy's direction.

It was very early in the morning, sometime before sunrise that Roy headed outside the Kouchin. He looked out at the base from there and then to the sky.

_"I need to get to my bomber…if I can get a bird's eye view of the area, maybe I can find out just what it is I need to do. I need to find out just what to change, what event to stop…it's up to me…maybe I can save my family and prevent even having to go back in time 300 years." _Roy thought.

He began heading for Shimoji Island base on one of the Kouchin Delivery bikes. Ayamo ran out the door as the bike started. Her eyes shot open when she saw Roy starting one of the bikes.

"HEY! WAIT!" She yelled, but Roy was already on his way to Shimoji Island base. Ayamo jumped on one of the other bikes, started it, and drove after him.

Roy had difficulty with the bike's controls for about a minute before acquiring balance and gaining control. He gunned the bike at full throttle towards the base. Ayamo gunned her bike close behind Roy but couldn't seem to get close enough to get his attention.

Roy rode, completely focused on his goal. As soon as he pulled into the base he practically launched himself off the bike, causing it to turn over. He ran past some of the early morning trainees straight for the hangar housing his GTB Zeus. Ayamo pulled near where Roy turned over his bike, parked it, and began running after him.

"ROY! ROY, ANSWER ME DAMMIT!" Ayamo yelled. Roy didn't seem to hear and continued to run for the hangar. Many of the trainees stopped to see Roy and Ayamo, wondering what was going on. Roy finally got inside the hangar and opened up the cockpit of his GTB Zeus.

Ayamo almost made it to the cockpit but Roy closed it before she could do anything.

"ROY! OPEN THIS THING UP NOW!" Ayamo yelled. Roy didn't pay attention and instead, opened a com channel to Shimoji Island tower.

"Shimoji Island Tower, this is Alpha 1! Requesting takeoff clearance!" Roy said into the radio.

In the Shimoji Island tower, the traffic controller was operating the early morning operations when she intercepted Roy's request.

"I'm sorry but I cannot allow you takeoff clearance." She said.

"Hey, what's your name?" Roy asked.

"My name?" the traffic controller asked.

"Yeah, tell me your name? I don't exactly know what to call you.

"Well…my name is Touko Mukai. Is there some signifigance to knowing my name?" She asked.

"Yeah, I like knowing the names of who I work with. Now please, Touko, it's really important that I get airborn! I'm begging you!" Roy said.

"I can't grant you takeoff clearance Alpha 1. I have orders to keep you grounded until Ms. Kisaragi or Commander Reynolds give the Ok for that." Controller Mukai said.

"Touko…it's for the sake of my mission…I need to get airborn now!" Roy said.

"ROY! OPEN THIS COCKPIT UP NOW!" Ayamo yelled.

"ROY! THIS IS SUB-COMMANDER KISARAGI! GET OUT OF THAT CRAFT AND REPORT TO THE CONTROL TOWER IMMEDIATELY!" Kisaragi yelled into the radio.

"KISARAGI! GIVE ME CLEARANCE FOR TAKEOFF NOW!" Roy yelled.

"ROY! YOU'D BETTER GET OUT OF THERE OF YOU'LL FACE SIMILAR CONSIQUENCES AS MS. HONJOU! REPORT TO THE CONTROL TOWER NOW!" Ms. Kisaragi responded.

"DAMMIT KISARAGI! GIVE ME CLEARANCE AND OPEN THIS HANGAR OR I'LL BLOW IT OPEN AND TAKEOFF MYSELF!" Roy yelled. Ayamo backed away from the cockpit with an expression of pure shock at what Roy just said.

Ms. Kisaragi and Controller Mukai sat quiet in shock for a moment.

"Roy…get up here…now!" Ms. Kisaragi said.

"I NEED TO GET AIRBORN NOW! I NEED TO BE READY FOR ANYTHING AND I CAN MAKE THE CHANGES OF THE FUTURE I NEED WITH THIS CRAFT! GIVE ME THE DAMN CLEARANCE NOW!" Roy yelled.

"ROY I AM GIVING YOU A DIRECT ORDER TO EXIT YOUR CRAFT AND REPORT TO THE CONTROL TOWER IMMEDIATELY!" Ms. Kisaragi yelled. Ayamo looked back into Roy's cockpit and noticed a tear roll down Roy's cheek again.

"GIVE ME THE CLEARANCE! I REFUSE TO HAVE ANYONE ELSE DIE FOR ME!" Roy yelled. Ayamo knocked again on the cockpit of the bomber.

"Roy..." Ayamo whispered.

"Roy…please…just come up to the control tower…we need to talk." Ms. Kisaragi said in a soft tone. Roy sat quiet in his cockpit for a moment and finally Ayamo opened the cockpit canopy. Roy continued to sit quietly as another tear rolled down his cheek.

Ayamo reached for his hand.

"I couldn't do it…" Roy whispered. Ayamo pulled her hand back and looked to him, concerned.

"I couldn't fire…why wouldn't I fire?" Roy asked. Ayamo took a hold of his hand and helped him out of the GTB Zeus.

"It's because you're a good person. You have a good heart." Ayamo said with a smile. Roy looked up to Ayamo and she blushed and looked away.

"Although I do think you're kind of an idiot. You really need to rethink how you handle things." Ayamo said as she started walking for the control tower, Roy's hand still in hers. Roy continued to think about what Ayamo said. Until they made it to the control room, hand in hand.

Ms. Kisaragi, Controller Mukai, and Commander Reynolds all waited for Roy in the main room.

"Roy, have a seat." Commander Reynolds said. Roy and Ayamo sat down on the couch across from Commander Reynolds, Ms. Kisaragi standing next to him.

"Roy, Ms. Kisaragi told me the story of what happened to your family. I can understand that you feel a need to atone for that, even if it means disobeying orders. I'll excuse this, but only this once." Commander Reynolds said. Roy looked up to him.

"Has that been bothering you that much?" Ms. Kisaragi asked. Roy looked to her, then Commander Reynolds, Controller Mukai, and then Ayamo.

"I've seen how people lose a single member of their family. Even someone very close…they grieve for a few years and then move on." Roy began. Everyone listened closely, waiting for what he had to say.

"But when you lose your entire family in the blink of an eye…that stays with you…it never leaves you alone…and it always causes pain." Roy said coldly. Mikaze and Shizuha ran up the stairs into the control room and saw everyone there.

"I heard Roy was called here for insubordination." Shizuha said.

"ROY!" Mikaze yelled as she ran over to him and wrapped her arms around him.

"You're not in trouble are you? You're not being transferred to another base? Discharged?" Mikaze asked frantically.

"There's no need to worry about that Ms. Honjou. He's not in trouble…this time." Ms. Kisaragi said. Mikaze looked to her.

"Roy is being let off with a warning and will be penalized with serving at the base…alongside you Ms. Honjou, until you are off penalty." Ms. Kisaragi said.

"It's only been a few days since you got back from Okinawa, so he'll serve the same penalties here. When your penalties are done, you will be cleared for flight again." Ms. Kisaragi said. Everyone waited silently for Roy's response.

"…thank you…" Roy whispered. Everyone looked surprised at his response.

"Thank you! I'll work hard until then! I'll help wherever you need me! If you need help with operations I'm here! If you need me to scrub the bathrooms I'm ready!" Roy said as he stood up.

"Whatever you need me to do until the day I can fly again…I'll do it!" Roy said.

"That's a good attitude. And remember, no more insubordination UNLESS you have good reason. Ok?" Ms. Kisaragi said with a wink. Roy saluted, a tear rolling down his cheek. He smiled.

The later days, Roy spent most of his time washing dishes at the Shimoji Island base with Mikaze, Helping to organize plans of interceptions, helping Mr. Sako with his craft and the other MS craft, and worked extra hard at Kouchin.

Finally the day before Roy and Mikaze get relieved of their penalties came. After they finished their work, Mikaze headed back to Kouchin and Roy headed for the eagle Statue by the ocean.

Roy looked up at the sky and smiled.

"Tomorrow…tomorrow I'm free to fly!" Roy said.

"You're really excited for this aren't you?" Ayamo asked. Roy looked to the side to see Ayamo standing about ten feet from him, holding a small box.

"I'm going to make a difference…probably the biggest one anyone has made. Of course I'm excited!" Roy said.

"You sound awfully full of yourself, you know." Ayamo said in an annoyed tone. Roy looked back to the sky with his smile still showing. Ayamo seemed to focus on his smile and then the rest of him.

"Wow…I never realized he was…NO! NO! what am I thinking! I don't like him! But…maybe I…" Ayamo thought. She started walking closer to him. Roy noticed her out of the corner of his eye and looked back to Ayamo. She was holding the box to him, blushing.

"I thought you might like some lunch…" Ayamo said. Roy looked at the box for a moment and then accepted it.

"Thanks Ayamo." Roy said.

"It's not cause I like you or anything! J-just eat the damn lunch!" Ayamo said as she opened the box and practically force fed Roy.

"AYAMO!" Mikaze screamed. Ayamo turned around, still blushing, to see Mikaze, Shizuha, and Karin standing in shock of what she was doing.

"Is there…enough for all of us?" Karin asked.

"Uhhh…about that…" Ayamo started.

"It's ok, I brought some so we all can eat." Shizuha said.

"Wow Shizuha, you come prepared as Mihato Uesugi!" Mikaze commented.

"Just don't expect me to have things in forty-nine places on my body. I'm not THAT prepared." Shizuha giggled. Roy looked confused at the comment, but shook his head and joined the others.

"I have to say, I really appreciate everything you've all done for me. You've taken me in, treated me like a fellow officer, you've done more for me than treat me like a fellow officer. You make me feel welcome." Roy said. Mikaze, Ayamo, Shizuha and Karin all looked to him curiously.

"Well of course we do, you're a part of the family now." Shizuha said. Roy looked to her in shock.

"You…see me as…family?" Roy asked.

"Of course we do, we all care about you, I'm sure you care about us, we're family." Shizuha said. Roy looked down at his food.

"thank you!" Roy said, he sounded like he was about to cry out of joy.

"AH! DAMMIT ROY DON'T GET ALL SAPPY ON US NOW! JUST EAT!" Ayamo yelled, practically force feeding him.

"AYAMO! STOP IT! YOU'RE GOING TO CHOKE HIM!" Mikaze yelled.

"HE NEEDS TO EAT BEFORE HE COLLAPSES AGAIN! I'M NOT GOING TO CARRY HIM BACK IF HE DOES!" Ayamo yelled.

_"Maybe I do…I think I really do…" _Ayamo thought.

End of chapter 7

**Through the ordeal of yet another nightmare, Roy almost took a drastic measure. Because of this near measure, Roy was subject to the same penalties that Mikaze has from the base until her release. Ayamo also seems to have a better take on Roy, but how will this affect him later on? Roy will soon be cleared to fly his craft soon. Will he be able to make the necessary changes to the future with this new option available to him? Find out what happens next in Stratos 4 the Shivan veteran Flight 8:Refit and Repairs!  
**


	8. Chapter 8

**Previously, Roy has been penalized and has been working alongside Mikaze since. He has gained the trust of the girls after they found out he is from the future, and has been told that he will be granted clearance to fly as soon as his penalties are lifted. Coming up! Mikaze, Ayamo, Shizuha, and Karin all decide to help Mr. Sako and Roy build the unfinished craft in the hangar and Roy begins repairs on his GTB Zeus to prepare for an engine calibration and stability test, as well as Sako's craft's engine combustion test. How will these tests go? Will the combustion test pass? Will Roy's engine calibration and stability test pass?**

Flight 8: Refit and Repairs!

Early the next morning, Mikaze and the others had already left for the base. In the room she stayed in, she had her calendar with every day marked until the day she was released from penalties. That day was marked with the drawing of a flower.

At the base, Mikaze was in the cockpit of the MS craft, going over the standard procedures of meteor interception.

"Mikaze! Mikaze!" Ayamo yelled.

"What's up Ayamo?" Mikaze asked as she sat up.

"Ms. Kisaragi is calling for you." Ayamo said. Mikaze looked curiously to her.

"She wants to see you in the briefing room." Ayamo said with a wink. Mikaze Smiled and jumped out of the cockpit and ran past Ayamo.

"Hey! Wait for me!" Ayamo said. Mikaze wan towards the main building with a smile shining on her face. She darted past Mr. Sako and Roy with Ayamo close behind who accidentally pushed Mr. Sako down. Mr. Sako fell into Roy and caused him to trip over Sako, dropping all the parts they had in the boxes they were carrying.

"HEY BE CAREFUL!" Mr. Sako yelled.

"Yeah not exactly a good idea to run around corners that fast is it?" Roy asked, rubbing his head.

"Sorry Roy, Sako." Ayamo said as she continued to follow Mikaze.

"THAT'S MR. SAKO TO YOU!" He yelled. Ayamo stopped and remembered that Ms. Kisaragi asked for Roy as well. She turned around and grabbed Roy by the hand and ran following Mikaze.

In the briefing room, Mikaze and Roy stood side by side at the front of the room while Ms. Kisaragi announced the relieve of their penalties.

"As of today, Mikaze Honjou, and Roy Kisaragi's disciplinary grounding is finished. Ms. Honjou, you are hereby ordered to go back to your duties." Ms. Kisaragi said.

"Yes ma'am!" Mikaze responded.

"Mr. Kisaragi, you are now privileged access to your craft and will be assigned in our intercept rotations." Ms. Kisaragi said.

"Yes ma'am!" Roy said as he saluted.

"Now, for both of you, independent actions will not be tolerated again so-" Ms. Kisaragi looked up from her paper to see Mikaze smothering Roy in a hug out of pure joy.

"ALL RIGHT! WE CAN FLY! WE CAN FLY!" Mikaze screamed.

"Mikaze! You're…squeezing me!" Roy struggled to say. Ms. Kisaragi looked to them and smiled with contempt. After their classes were done, Roy went outside with Mikaze and the others but headed straight for his fighter. He ran past some other trainees with a smile on his face.

Mikaze and Shizuha looked to Roy with a smile on their faces while Ayamo and Karin looked curiously before heading in his direction. Roy opened up the cockpit of the GTB Zeus and jumped into the cockpit, activating the basic auxiliary systems.

"Roy Lancer, systems check, commence." Roy said to the Zeus onboard computer. On the screen popped up some text saying "Welcome back Commander Lancer." Roy smiled as the system checks started running through all systems of the bomber.

"Looks like you took more damage than I thought; saved my life though. I'll repair you and get you back up to speed." Roy said.

"You really like that craft, don't you?" Shizuha asked. Roy looked to the side to see Shizuha standing next to the cockpit.

"Oh, yeah, I love this ship! She's saved my life on countless occasions, so, I have to take good care of her." Roy said.

"You talk about it like it's a person." Ayamo commented.

"What? Don't you grow attached to your craft?" Roy asked. Mikaze, Ayamo, Shizuha and Karin all looked to each other with confusion.

"You…never have grown attached to your craft?" Roy asked.

"Well we've only gone up on the missions you saw. We haven't exactly flown that much." Ayamo said.

"Oh…well I've been flying with this bomber for the past eight years. I've grown attached to her. It's like she's a part of me…like when I'm away from her, I'm incomplete, like I'm…worthless." Roy said.

"DON'T SAY THAT ABOUT YOURSELF!" Mikaze screamed.

"I don't think I'm worthless, I just mean I feel like that as long as I'm away from this bomber." Roy explained.

"Geez Mikaze, calm down!" Ayamo said.

"Oh right." Mikaze said as she giggled sheepishly. Roy shook his head, smiling and then looked back at the systems check and he looked a bit concerned.

"Is everything all right?" Mikaze asked.

"Yeah, there's just considerably more to repair than I anticipated. It looks like my engines need internal structural support replacement, I need to re-enforce some of the hull plates, the shield system needs to be touched up a bit, and my starboard HL-7 laser needs to be refurbished. Thank god I actually have access to the materials I need to do these repairs. Most of this stuff seems simple. What I'm going to have a hard time with is repairing the shield system. Might take a while." Roy explained.

"You have a shield system on that craft?" Shizuha asked.

"We have to, the Shivans had superior weapons and defense. This was during the great war so we needed the technology to stand against them." Roy explained.

"Wow, you sure have been through a lot." Shizuha said.

"Heh, I wasn't born during the great war. That was thirty years before me. I served when the Shivans came back from beyond the nebula, through the Knossos gate." Roy said. Mikaze, Shizuha, Ayamo, and Karin all looked to him clueless to what he was saying.

"Oh right, the Knossos gate was a massive subspace node that allowed for extremely long distance jumps. We don't know how far the Knossos sent us when we went through, as far as we know, the Knossos could have sent us to another galaxy on the far end of the universe, maybe to another universe, we don't know, nor do we have a way to find out." Roy said.

"Wow, that sure is…something." Ayamo said, unsure how to respond to that kind of knowledge.

"I just hope that our scientists will be able to remake one that can get the fleets back to Earth." Roy said.

"What do you mean? You made it here." Mikaze said.

"Well I was also sent back in time 300 years. I don't know how that happened. Aside from that, the fleet has no way of getting back here in my time." Roy said. He got up, out of the cockpit and got a toolbox, some materials to work with and one of the rolling pads, laid on the pad and rolled under the bomber and started working on it.

"Are you going to need some help?" Mikaze asked.

"Actually it would be better if I did this myself, I have the specs to this craft memorized. You don't exactly have any knowledge on craft like this one so I'll be better off. No offence but this is stuff way advanced to you." Roy said.

"You know, we offered to help! But I see how you are! Don't be so stupid!" Ayamo said as she walked out of the hangar. Roy looked out at Ayamo in confusion and then to Mikaze, Shizuha and Karin.

"What was that about?" Roy asked.

"I don't know, I think she likes you." Shizuha said in a playful tone. Roy shrugged and got back to repairing the bomber. Sora and Tsubasa Saw Roy and the other girls as they worked on one of the trainer craft.

"You know, after a big mistake like that, she's lucky not to have gotten fired huh?" Tsubasa commented.

"You have to respect the chain of command, bottom line." Sora replied.

"And that guy, I can't believe he's actually Ms. Kisaragi's younger brother. That was a big surprise." Tsubasa commented.

"Yeah that was a shocker. And now he's working on that craft. I tell you what, that craft sure looks impressive." Sora commented.

"Oh come on! What does that craft have on anything we have?" Tsubasa asked.

"Look at that thing! It's clearly superior to anything we have!" Sora replied.

"Ok look, the design has many flaws I can point out right now. 1: there's no landing gear, 2: if you can call those wings you have to take another look at how aircraft are supposed to look, 3: it crashed when he came in for landing. It's obviously not superior. I'm surprised it actually made it into the air." Tsubasa laughed.

Back at Mr. Sako's hangar, he was working on another part of the unfinished craft.

"Step 1 for Miharu…" Mr. Sako whispered. Mikaze started walking quietly towards him from behind.

"Step 2 for Miharu…" Mr. Sako whispered again. Roy was walking into the hangar, looking for more parts to use in repairing his craft. He saw a box of parts he could use on the nearby shelf and reached up for it, struggling to pull it down without dropping it.

"BOO!" Mikaze screamed.

"GAAAAAHHH!" Mr. Sako and Roy yelled, as Roy slipped and fell along with the box of parts falling on top of him.

"DON'T STARTLE ME!" Mr. Sako yelled. Roy got up and put all the parts that spewed all over the place back into the box.

"Really? You had to pick now of all times?" Roy asked.

"Sorry about that Roy." Mikaze said. She then looked back to Mr. Sako.

"And you, still doing your gloomy thing, Sako?" Mikaze teased.

"SAY WHAT?" Mr. Sako blurted.

"It's important for men to accept defeat with grace." Ayamo said.

"Shut up! Like you'd understand the purity in a man's heart! I, I love, I love Miharu from the bottom of my heart!" Mr. Sako said, tears falling down his cheeks.

"Huh? No not that." Shizuha said. Mr. Sako looked up to them.

"That." Shizuha said pointing to the engine parts of the incomplete craft. Roy looked to the craft and then back to the girls with question.

"Why do you say he should accept defeat with the craft?" Roy asked.

"There's been no progress for a very long time." Shizuha said.

"Really? Mr. Sako told me that progress was going fairly well." Roy said.

"Well, maybe you guys should just give up, even when it's finished, it can't fly right?" Ayamo asked.

"IT WILL FLY! IT DOES FLY!" Mr. Sako yelled. He noticed Mikaze on the thruster part like she normally does.

"HEY I TOLD YOU THAT'S NOT A PARASAL!" Mr. Sako yelled.

"But it's so cool here!" Mikaze said.

"LISTEN UP! THIS IS A SPACE CRAFT, WHICH FLIES HIGHER THAN ANY OF YOU CLOUDS!" Mr. Sako yelled. Roy looked curiously at Mr. Sako.

Mikaze looked at the craft under the large tarp.

"A…'space' craft?" Roy and Mikaze asked.

"That's right. What you pilot are planes, which are limited to going as high as the stratosphere." Mr. Sako explained. Mikaze and Roy looked and listened intently to Mr. Sako.

"This stratos 0 is a spacecraft which can go directly into outer space." Mr. Sako said.

"It…can go into space…stratos…0" Mikaze repeated, in awe that there was a craft like that at their base.

"What I want is to repair this thing on my own and make it capable of going to space once again. IF I DO THAT, MIHARU WILL SEE ME IN A DIFFERENT LIGHT! RIGHT MIHARU?" Mr. Sako yelled. Mikaze looked back to the stratos 0 in wonder.

"So this was the first craft actually designed to take off like a plane and actually soar across the black…" Roy said in wonder. Mr. Sako looked to him with question.

"What are you talking about? It WILL be the first." Mr. Sako said. Shizuha and Ayamo ran over to Mr. Sako and pulled him off to the side.

"Yeah there's something kind of important you need to know about Roy, he's…" Shizuha stopped herself, thinking of the best way to tell Mr. Sako.

"He's what?" Mr. Sako asked.

"He's the younger brother of Ms. Kisaragi!" Ayamo said.

"I know, I was there when that was explained." Mr. Sako said.

"Well then you should go talk to Ms. Kisaragi about him. She'll be able to shed some light on the subject." Ayamo said.

"Uhh…ok, I guess it would help." Mr. Sako replied as he started for the control tower.

"I wonder how he's going to take that news?" Shizuha asked.

"I bet he's going to blow a gasket." Ayamo laughed in a devilish tone.

"You know Ayamo, you worry me sometimes." Shizuha said.

"What? You think I'm going pull some prank on Ms. Kisaragi or something?" Ayamo asked.

"Yeah…sure…let's go with that." Shizuha replied sheepishly.

"WHAAAAAAAAAT? YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS!" Mr. Sako screamed.

"I'm afraid we're telling the truth on this. Roy Lancer, now Kisaragi, is actually a soldier from the future." Ms. Kisaragi said.

"WHAT'S THE EVIDENCE THAT CONCLUDED THAT?" Mr. Sako yelled.

"Everything he presented is irrefutable: the ship, the logs on his ship, and even his knowledge of this time. He told Mikaze not to fire on her last mission for risk of missing the core. He was right." Ms. Kisaragi said.

"Wow, I never would have guessed." Mr. Sako said.

Later at the hangar, Mr. Sako, Mikaze, Ayamo, and Shizuha were discussing the stratos 0.

"You still can't fly it even if you can't fix it right?" Shizuha asked.

"You're still saying that? don't take my skills so lightly! If I put my mind to it I can fix a rocket or two or three-" Mr. Sako began.

"I don't mean that, who's going to pilot it?" Shizuha asked. Mr. Sako looked around for a second.

"Hey Roy? You think you could pilot this?" Mr. Sako asked.

"Are you kidding? I'm too used to the kind of controls and feel of the GTB Zeus. I'm not sure I could fly that stratos 0 unless I took at least a few years of training with that kind of craft." Roy said, getting back to work on his Bomber.

"Oh, that's…hmmm maybe I could…" Mr. Sako began.

"You can't pilot it yourself, you don't even have pilot training.

"Uhhhh…" Mr. Sako responded.

"Don't uhhh." Shizuha said.

"So it's not decided yet." Ayamo said.

"Hey, can I pilot it?" Mikaze asked.

"Huh?" Mr. Sako asked.

"Huh? Mikaze?" Ayamo asked. Roy stopped working in his tracks and scooted out from under the bomber and looked to Mikaze.

_"Could this be what I need to change?" _Roy wondered. He put his progress on pause and went into his cockpit and started going through his history books.

"If I can really go into space, I want to Pilot it. I want to go up to space on my own." Mikaze said.

"You want to pilot this thing?" Mr. Sako asked. Mikaze nodded.

"Oh yeah?" Mr. Sako asked.

"I see, if Mikaze is going to pilot it, I'll ride as well." Ayamo said.

"Ayamo?" Mikaze asked.

"Sounds really cool, going to space on the craft you build?" Ayamo asked.

"Well there is a slight possibility we won't make it as Comet Blasters after all. It might be a good plan to build a rocket after all." Shizuha said. Mikaze smiled and looked to Karin, just outside of the hangar.

"You want to ride too Karin?" Mikaze asked. Karin shook her head. Mikaze seemed disappointed.

"But…I don't mind helping you build it." Karin said. Roy looked up from his books and to the girls.

"Maybe…if I help them…" Roy said, looking back to his books.

"Hmmm…Mikaze Honjou, Shizuha Doi, Karin Kikuhara and Ayamo Nakamura became comet blasters after they saved the planet from a massive asteroid in place of the original comet blasters. They abandoned the Stratos 0 shortly after joining the ranks of the comet blaster, realizing that the stratos 0 was an obsolete and out dated craft." Roy read.

"I wonder what would happen if I were to convince them not to become comet blasters? Would it really make things right?" Roy quietly asked.

"HEY ROY! YOU WANT TO HELP US BUILD THIS?" Mikaze asked. Roy looked to the, from his cockpit and jumped out.

"You bet!" Roy said with a smile.

"_If I help, I can make improvements to the stratos 0 and make it so it's not obsolete. If I can do that, they won't abandon the stratos 0" _Roy thought. Mr. Sako began laughing out of pure and utter joy.

"SO YOU'LL ALL RIDE! ALL RIGHT! LET'S GET BACK TO REPAIRS IMMEDIATELY!" Mr. Sako yelled.

Mwanwhile up in orbital station 7, Miharu maneuvered through the halls and to the shower section of the station.

"_That boy we saw down on the surface…GTVA…he must have been that craft we found just outside of Earth's gravity well. He could be troublesome." _Miharu thought. She found one of her pilots in the middle of her daily shower and cut the water off.

The pilot looked around wondering why the water turned off and then the door opened. Miharu went inside, pulled off her pilot's breathing mask and pressed her lips against her helpless pilot's lips. She struggled to break free of Miharu's grip but was powerless to do so.

Miharu released her and saw that she was unconscious.

"_Keep things going like this and I won't even have to worry about that GTVA brat." _Miharu thought.

Back at the hangar, Mikaze and the others were working on repairs of the stratos 0. Mr. Sako, Mikaze, Ayamo, and Shizuha were standing on an elevated wing while Roy was hung on the underside taking the wing apart little by little and Karin helping.

"Mr. Sako? Is it all right to be using parts from the scrap heap?" Mikaze asked.

"IT'S NOT SCRAP! IT'S BEING RECYCLED!" Mr. Sako yelled.

"We sure don't want the engine to stall out as soon as we take off." Shizuha said.

"They're parts from a craft that retired early, still a lot of life in them. STOP CPMPLAINING AND TAKE EM APART!" Mr. Sako yelled. The wing shifted, causing Roy, Mikaze, Mr. Sako, Ayamo, and Shizuha to loose balance. After the third time, the wing fell and hit the floor, all of them dizzy and Roy in pain from impacting with the floor.

"…Took em apart." Karin said, holding up the wrench she used. The others glared at her with a skeptical look. For the next few days, Mikaze and the others would head straight to the base from Kouchin to work on the stratos 0.

"We're going to the base for a bit." Mikaze said.

"See you later." Karin said. Mikaze and the others ran out of the Kouchin and for the bikes to head for the base.

"Do you know what they're up to?" the restaurant owner asked.

"No…" Ms. Ron said.

At the base, they continued more work on the craft. Roy moved his bomber into the same hangar the day prior and continued working on it.

"Ok let's start with the engine! The engine is the heart and soul of any aircraft!" Mr. Sako instructed. Roy paused the work on his bomber and began working with the others on the engine. After a while, they started attaching one of the exterior panels to the main engine.

"Keep coming, keep coming." Karin instructed. Mikaze was using the crane to move the panel to the engine.

"I wonder what they're working on?" Tsubasa asked.

"Well it looks like they're helping Mr. Sako with his hobby." Sora said.

"Heh, looks like they've got nothing better to do." Tsubasa commented.

"What do you mean?" Mikaze asked.

"All I'm saying is that I don't understand why you're wasting time like that. didn't you want to go out into space?" Tsubasa asked.

"Oh boy here we go!" Roy grunted under his breath.

"I will! That's why we're making the repairs!" Mikaze said.

"Oh? Really? Well I think you're just running away." Tsubasa taunted.

"I'm not running away!" Mikaze replied.

"You ARE running away! You probably gave up after your last screw up! You probably think it's too difficult to earn your wings as a comet blaster! That's why you're running away and repairing an old rocket!" Tsubasa taunted. Roy ran from the engine and ran towards Tsubasa, ready to tackle him.

"SAY WHAT?" Mikaze screamed. She got so frustrated that she pressed the release button on the crane and the panel smashed into the floor. Mikaze looked back to the panel, Roy stopped and turned around, Ayamo and Shizuha looked to Mikaze.

"What are you doing Mikaze!" Ayamo demanded.

"AAAAAAHHHH! THAT PART WAS ALMOST FINISHED!" Mr. Sako yelled.

"Uhh let's get out of here!" Sora said.

"Good idea!" Tsubasa replied.

"HEY GET BACK HERE!" Roy yelled.

"COME BACK! HELP US OUT!" Mr. Sako yelled.

The next day, Mikaze was out at the Eagle statue, looking out to sea, thinking about what Tsubasa said to her the other day.

"I don't think I am, but…am I…running away?" Mikaze asked.

"If you're not sure then maybe you are." Mikaze turned around to see Mr. Iwasaki sitting on one of the talons of the eagle.

"Mr. Iwasaki?" Mikaze asked.

"There's no need to be so surprised you know. It's a small island, not many places to hang out." He said as he jumped down.

"I often come here when I have some things I need to work out. So you really want to go to space?" he asked.

"Yes!" Mikaze replied.

"Then go ahead, do everything you can." He said.

"Yes, but…" Mikaze started.

"If you try and fail, at least you did your best. Although I don't see you failing anytime soon, especially with your new friend, he seems to know quite a bit about space. He'll help you and if you seem to fall, he'll pick you back up. He won't abandon you." Mr. Iwasaki said. Mikaze smiled and ran back to the base. Mr Iwasaki watched her leave with a smile.

"_Help her out, Roy…she'll need it." _Mr. Iwasaki thought.

Up in the Orbital station, a few of the Comet Blaster pilots were playing darts when one of them hit a good shot on the board. She stopped to think on it for a moment.

"Hmmm…how should I arrange this?" She asked.

"Get 12 singles, 18 triples and 20 doubles." Another pilot, Betty, blurted out.

"Quick with the calculations today." The first pilot commented.

"You feel like competing, go next round, Betty?" the second asked.

"Oh no, thanks anyway. I just don't feel all that well right now." Betty replied as she took another drink from her juice. The other two pilots looked to her concerned, seeing quite the number of juice packs strapped down to the plate she had.

"I'll say…"

Back down on the base, Mikaze was working on another engine piece, Roy had finally started work on his shield generator. It was a cylinder with many different modules, wires, diodes and other technical parts, clearly a piece of technology advanced even from his own time.

He dismantled the shield generator and had its many parts laid out on the table, some of its parts looked scorched, he sorted the usable from unusable, and tried to salvage as much of the shield generator as he could. He breathed deeply in disappointment, seeing that some of the scorched parts were mandatory for the generator to operate.

Mikaze was attaching a cover for the engine part, struggling a bit.

"Let's see, next I put the cover on and-" The cover slipped and fell, she growled in frustration and started working at a quickened pace, not really helping. Roy looked to Mikaze, a bit startled from his progress on cleaning off the scorched pieces.

"Hold on." Commander Reynolds said as he approached Mikaze. Mikaze looked back to him, surprised to see him there.

"HUH! Commander?" Mikaze asked. Roy looked to him as well for a moment before returning to his work on cleaning his parts of the shield generator.

"That's not the way to do it." Reynolds said as he began attaching the cover. "The cover needs to be tightened to the specific torque, you see?" He asked.

"Uh, yes sir!" She jumped.

"The bolts for the main body need to be tightened to the correct torque too, otherwise the main body will become warped. Tell me, what's the specifications?" He asked. Mikaze got the specs and showed the commander.

"Oh, uh, well it's…this!" She pointed to the current section she was working on. He readjusted the torque wrench and handed it back to her.

"Remember to tighten the bolts in a diagonal line. Please remember that." He said.

"Yes sir!" Mikaze replied again. Commander Reynolds looked up at the tarped craft behind him.

"Oh…I see you're going to revive Stratos Zero. It's an old model but a good craft, put some time into it and I'm sure it'll answer your call." He said as he looked to Mikaze with a smile.

Commander Reynolds then looked to Roy who was ever so focused on repairing his Shield Generator. He walked over to him to get a closer look at what he was doing, Roy didn't notice, as he was 100% focused on cleaning what salvageable pieces he could.

"So, this is a part of your craft?" He asked. Roy nodded, finally cleaned another module, smiling relieved that it was still usable.

"There! That's almost what I need to get this thing running again." Roy whispered.

"What is this, exactly?" Commander Reynolds asked.

"The Shield Generator for my bomber. If I can get this repaired, I'll have one of the most important components working again…the shielding tech is too important to be destroyed." Roy explained. Mikaze also came up, getting a look at what he was doing.

"You are a talented young individual. Don't lose this." Commander Reynolds said.

"I won't sir." Roy replied, not taking his eyes off of what he was doing. Soon enough, he began reassembling the shield generator. It took about fifteen minutes to finish assembly. He took the Module back to his bomber and attached it into its compartment where it connected to the Zeus' main systems.

"Time for a test. Mikaze, Commander, do either of you have a gun?" Roy asked as he finished the reinstallation.

"No, I don't, sorry." Mikaze said.

"I do, here." Commander Reynolds held out a pistol as Roy stepped from under the Zeus.

"Thank you sir." He took the gun and went back to the cockpit and activated the shield system, took a few steps back and took aim at the ship.

"What are you doing?" Mikaze asked.

"Testing the shields." Roy held the pistol tightly in his grip and squeezed the trigger. The bullet flew from the barrel of the pistol and towards the Zeus, only to be stopped by a flash of light that formed a few meters from the bombers hull. Roy smiled and handed the gun back to Commander Reynolds.

"Thank you sir…repairs on my Zeus are almost complete." He went back to the cockpit and started going over the other areas needing repairs.

"Looking after one's ride is exactly what one should do, Mr. Lancer- Mr…Kisaragi is a perfect example of that." Commander Reynolds said, looking to Mikaze. "You should continue looking after your own ride as well. Young Mr. Kisaragi will be able to help with that. I'm sure of it. Well then, I'll excuse myself, taking from your enjoyment is in poor taste."

"Uh, Commander? Thank you very much sir!" Mikaze said.

"Just don't let this affect your day job." Commander Reynolds said as he left.

The next days, Mikaze, Shizuha, Ayamo, Karin and Sako continued to work diligently on the craft. More, construction, research, and other aspects to finish the craft. Soon enough, Roy was also finished with enough repairs on his Zeus to help out on the Stratos 0, adding his knowledge of GTVA tech and specs to further advance their progress.

Though the girls took breaks sometimes, Roy continued to work endlessly, always 100% focused on the work he did. Within about a week, the Engine was finished and ready for a combustion test. The engine was set up on a fixed position of the runway. Along with the combustion test, Roy had his Zeus in an area fixed to the ground near the testing groups, but far enough that the engine exhaust or malfunctions wouldn't cause any harm to anyone. He sat inside the cockpit and had the bomber's systems online and ready to engage the engines.

"Ok, let's get you back up and running. You'll be airborn before you know it." Roy said with a smile as he patted the dashboard. He saw Mikaze and the others heading for the testing area and saluted, they responded in kind. Mikaze, Shizuha, Ayamo, Karin and mr. Sako all had a headset linking to Roy's flight helmet.

"Sako to Kisaragi, you read me?" Mr. Sako asked.

"Kisaragi to Sako, loud and clear!" Roy responded, signaling thumbs up.

Out in the distance, there were groups of reporters from the island watching and getting pictures.

"Wow! It's one of the older engines! It sure is nice to see a classic back in action." One of the reporters said.

"Yeah, and that other craft looks impressive as well! I've never seen one like that before! I'm excited to see that one tested!" another reporter commented. Soon the air raid siren went off, signaling that the test was about to start.

In his cockpit, Roy had the engines fired up and ready to begin thrust.

"The combustion test will be 120 seconds, countdown will be 100 seconds. Roy, your test will be the same, got it?" Mr. Sako asked.

"Roger!" Mikaze responded.

"Roger that!" Roy also responded. Everyone made final preparations and began the test.

"Initiate combustion in ten seconds!" Mikaze counted down, everyone ready and focused on this test, Roy waited almost impatiently to push the Zeus' engines into full afterburner.

"BEGIN COMBUSTION!" Mr. Sako yelled. The engine of the Stratos 0 roared to life as the fire from the engine erupted out of the thruster. Roy immediately slammed the throttle control into full afterburner as the two engines of the Zeus roared to life, the blue flame shooting out the back.

"It's working! IT'S WORKING! MY BABY IS ALIVE AGAIN!" Roy yelled into the mic. The flames from the Zeus and the Stratos 0 engines pushed a heavy gust at the testing area as the surrounding area rumbled from the sheer power of the engines.

"Come on baby! Hold together!" Mr. Sako said. Mikaze proceeded to count the seconds out loud. Roy heard her through the mic and continued holding down the afterburners of the Zeus bomber.

"Come on…come on, you can do it…" Roy whispered as he started keying in codes to maintain stability of the ship's systems. He was sweating under his helmet, nervous yet calm and collected. He knew he could do this, but the risk was always present.

"Combustion pressure, rate, normal!" Shizuha announced to the teams. She was monitoring the combustion engine and the pressure stability of the Zeus systems as well. "Zeus systems, normal, pressure, high, afterburners, normal! All parameters within range for both engine sets!"

"20 seconds past!" Mikaze announced. She stared out at the engine for a moment as a flash of her inner most desire flashed in her mind, her desire to reach deep space. "HANG ON, MY PARASOL!" She screamed.

"ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY SECONDS PASSED! TERMINATE COMBUSTION!" Mikaze announced happily.

"ALL RIIIIIIIIGHT!" Mr. Sako yelled out. They shut off the engine for the Stratos 0 but the Zeus' engines continued to burn.

"ROY! YOU NEED TO SHUT YOUR ENGINES DOWN!" Shizuha yelled into the mic.

"Almost there…" Roy muttered to himself, he was watching the monitor in his cockpit, the pressure was nearing critical levels. He was changing the power outputs from the shields and weapons to the engines to increase power. He was pushing the Zeus past its pressure threshold.

The monitor displayed a warning from the heat sinks and he began shutting down the engine systems, but the afterburners continued to fire.

"Something's wrong! I can't shut the burners off!" Roy barked into his mic. Mikaze, Ayamo, Shizuha, Karin and Mr. Sako all looked from the screens to the Zeus, staring in shock of what they heard.

"Come on! Come on! COME ON!" Roy yelled as he quickly keyed in the codes activate the emergency shutdown.

"20 seconds to reactor meltdown." The Zeus onboard computer announced. Roy's eyes widened as he sped up his process to imput the codes. Mikaze and the others heard that and their eyes shot wide open.

"MELTDOWN!" Mikaze shrieked.

"WE HAVE TO GET HIM OUT OF THERE!" Shizuha screamed as she jumped to the jeep nearby.

"15 seconds to meltdown." The Zeus onboard computer announced.

"EVERYONE! GET AWAY FROM THE CRAFT!" Roy yelled.

"10 seconds." The computer announced again. Mikaze and the girls got in the jeep and drove in Roy's direction. Roy continued to key codes in, sweating heavily.

"9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1." Roy finally entered the final code and the screen read "ACCESS GRANTED" the engines shut down and the flames from the Zeus engines dissipated, leaving the entire Zeus burning hot. The girls parked the Jeep right next to Roy's craft and waited for him to open the cockpit canopy.

As soon as he did, Roy stepped out and threw his helmet off, taking a deep breath as if he'd been suffocating.

"ROY!" Mikaze yelled as she and the others ran over to help him.

"Oh my god! Roy! Are you ok!" Mikaze asked frantically.

"Yeah, I'm fine…god damn it gets hot in there." Roy explained. Mikaze immediately pulled him into an embrace, smothering him, but he didn't seem to mind, instead, he returned the embrace and smiled with contempt.

"What are you so happy about? You almost died." Ayamo asked.

"It's a success!" Roy replied. Mikaze looked to him, as well as the others.

"The tests are both a success!" Roy smiled.

"We did it…" Mikaze whispered. Roy smiled to her, he could see the joy in her eyes.

"WE DID IT!" Mikaze yelled, smothering Roy again, Shizuha also wrapped her arms around Roy, Ayamo and Karin stood back, smiling at their success.

Everyone watching started cheering at the success, the masses of people screaming with delight.

"Wow! That engine sure has a big punch! And that Zeus craft…I think with engines that powerful, it's got as much kick." Sora commented.

"Maybe they will make it into space…" Tsubasa agreed.

"Of course they will!" Mr. Iwasaki confirmed.

Up in the control tower, Ms. Kisaragi and the traffic controller sighed with relief and smiled at the success.

"I'm glad everything went well." Ms. Kisaragi said.

"Yes, it's good there were no injuries. It would have been bad if either the engines failed and caused an explosion." Commander Reynolds commented.

"You mean…the engines…are really that dangerous?" Ms. Kisaragi asked nervously.

Later that night, everyone threw a party in celebration of the engine success.

"YEAH! PARTY ALL! IT'S ON ME TONIGHT!" Mr. Sako yelled out.

"Don't forget to pay off your tab first!" The Kouchin owner barked.

"Aww come on, you know I'm good for it!" Mr. Sako replied.

"Another bowl?" Karin asked.

"Yeah! That's it, don't be shy!" Mr. Sako replied.

"Karin, if you eat too much you'll get fat!" Ayamo teased. Karin looked to her with question, not hearing what Ayamo said and then got back to her food. Ayamo giggled a moment and then looked around.

"Hey, where's Roy?" She asked. Mikaze, Shizuha and Karin shrugged and returned to their food but Ayamo got up to look for him. He was outside the Kouchin, leaning against the wall and looking up at the sky with a smile on his face. Ayamo stopped by him and leaned against the same wall.

"So…why are you being so anti-social?" Ayamo asked, trying to sound suspicious.

"I'm not, I just don't do so well with parties." Roy replied as he looked back to Ayamo with a smile. She blushed and looked away.

"It's not like I care about you or anything…I just think it's kind of strange that you're not in there for…what's meant for you as well." She said, sounding a bit peeved. Roy chuckled a bit and looked back to the base from the Kouchin, right at his bomber which was being docked back into the hangar.

"I'm…excited to be flying again." Roy said quietly. Ayamo looked back to him, staring intensely at him, she moved her face in close to his. Roy noticed and then looked to her, surprising her a bit.

"Something you need?" he asked.

"No…" Ayamo said as she took him by the hand "Just get inside and join the party already! It's weird for you to be so anti-social!" Roy laughed a bit and joined everyone.

The next morning, Mikaze ran for one of the hangars, dressed in her flight suit. Royn in his GTVA flightsuit, he climbed into his Zeus, off to the side, he saw Mikaze jump into her trainer craft and saluted. She saluted in return, with a smile, the both of them powered up the engines of their relative craft.

"Trainer 01, ready to taxi! Information Charlie!" Mikaze barked into the mic.

"Alpha 1, ready to taxi, information Charlie!" Roy also said into his mic.

"Trainer 01, Alpha 1, clear for taxi, trainer 01 to runway 17 and alpha 1 to runway 15." The air traffic controller announced.

"Trainer 01, roger! Clear for taxi! Runway 17!" Mikaze confirmed.

"Alpha 1, roger that! clear for taxi, runway 15!" Roy responded. Mikaze started taxi with her trainer craft as Roy engaged the magnetic systems, lifting the Zeus off of the ground a few feet, following the trainer craft to his respective runway.

Many of the other pilot candidates and officers watched as the Zeus and trainer got ready for takeoff.

"Shimoji tower, trainer 01, ready for takeoff!" Mikaze announced.

"Alpha 1 here, ready for takeoff!" Roy replied as well.

"Trainer 01, taxi to position and hold at runway 17. Alpha 1, taxi to position and hold on runway 15." The traffic controller ordered.

"Trainer 01, roger!" Mikaze replied.

"Alpha 1, roger!" Roy responded. The Trainer rolled to the runway as the Zeus hovered to its launch site.

"Trainer 01, Alpha 1, clear for takeoff." The traffic controller announced.

"Trainer 01 roger, clear for takeoff on runway 17!" Mikaze responded, she hit the throttle and pushed the trainer into full afterburner beginning launch.

"Alpha 1! Launching!" Roy responded. He pushed the engines into full afterburner as well, the bomber screaming down the runway just behind the trainer. Soon enough, both craft pulled up and ascended into a climb, Roy smiled happily that his Zeus was airborn once again.

Everyone on the island watched as the two craft soared through the skies. The trainer went to about 15000 feet while the Zeus ascended further and further and further.

"Shimoji Island, beginning test. I'll see you back on the ground Mikaze!" Roy said with a smile as the Zeus flew past the atmosphere and into the black.

"YEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" Roy screamed as the Zeus successfully broke the atmosphere. Mikaze watched him as he disappeared into the black.

"Someday! Definitely!" She whispered.


End file.
